


La Douleur Exquise

by Cinnamonrollgirl7



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), star tre
Genre: Alien Culture, Aliens, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, BAMF Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Bones is awkward, Changing Point Of View, Character Development, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Drama, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Medical Procedures, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Oblivious James T. Kirk, Oblivious Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Poor Bones, Protective Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Protective Spock (Star Trek), Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Star Trek: AOS, Torture, Vulcan, help him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-10-13 19:11:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 83,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17493620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinnamonrollgirl7/pseuds/Cinnamonrollgirl7
Summary: La Douleur Exquise - exquisite pain. Which is what Elise Manning feels after she is told she won't be able to continue to have contact with her cousin, Spock, when he goes to live on New Vulcan. After talking with one Leonard McCoy, she decides to try and re-enlist in Starfleet. As they spend more time together in sickbay, they grow closer and closer. Soon they both realize they have feelings for one another. Neither can bring themselves to tell one another, not that they have much time, with all the away missions and medical emergencies they are dragged into.I'm terrible at summaries but I saw a lack of Leonard/OFC fics and...well... it led to a 300 page Word document monstrosity. Leave Kudos and comments telling me what you think :)I don't own Star Trek or any of the characters.





	1. Coming Home

Leonard

The shuttle finally landed back on Earth. Jim looked nervous, glancing out the window at the gathered crowd. I patted his shoulder in what I hoped was a reassuring manner.

“Jim, you just saved the planet from being destroyed by Romulans. Who came from the future, I might add. I think you can handle those people,” I said.

“I’m not worried about the people, not really. I’m worried that as soon as Starfleet finds out I took over the Enterprise, they’ll be furious and kick me out.”

I shook my head. “Pike won’t let them do that and you know it. He made you First Officer when he left the ship and Spock was in no state to be Captain. Yeah, you probably shouldn’t have goaded him like you did but you got the end result you wanted. That Future Spock guy told you to do it, so -”

Jim shushed me, putting one hand on the back of my head and the other over my mouth. “Bones, I wasn’t supposed to talk about that. Keep your mouth shut.”

I knocked his hand away with a huff. “Whatever. Come on, time to face everyone.”

The doors of all the shuttles opened, allowing the Enterprise crew and the remaining Vulcans to exit onto Earth. As I looked around, I noticed that while the crew looked relieved, the Vulcans remained stoic. Some seemed nervous as they shifted through the crowd, trying to reach the officials who were calling for them.

“Hey, there’s Spock and Uhura. Think we should go over and check on them?” Jim asked, a worried expression clear on his face. I understood why as soon as I looked over.

Spock walked beside Uhura, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast. Uhura kept a tight hold on his upper arm, saying something to him that I couldn’t hear.

“Yeah, sure. Lead the way,” I said. Jim began to weave through the people, making a beeline for the couple. Just as we were getting close, I heard someone scream.

“Spock! Thank God you’re okay!” a woman yelled running at full speed towards Spock. Uhura let go of him just as the woman flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. After a moment of confused blinking, Spock’s lips curved into a small smile as he returned the hug.

At that point, Jim and I were close enough to hear the two talking. The woman spoke into Spock’s ear, asking “Are your parents safe? Did they make it off the planet?”

“Father did. Mother did not. I apologize. I tried-”

She tightened her grip on him, her shoulders shaking. “Shut up. Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

I was about to tell Jim that we should leave them alone, that now was not the time. As I opened my mouth, he spoke.

“How did you manage to get two girlfriends? Do they know about each other? If not, then this is really awkward,” Jim said to them, trying to lighten the mood.

Spock frowned as he straightened, still keeping one arm wrapped protectively around the woman. She looked over at Jim and I, a fire in her hazel brown eyes that I found down right startling. She ran her hand through her tangled, messy brown hair before swiping away a few stray tears on her cheeks. Her pale pink lips pursed in a disapproving way as she glared at Jim. While she was clearly angry, I still thought she was beautiful.

Her thin body was angular in places and soft in others, giving her a youthful and feminine appearance. She was short as well, even shorter than Uhura. Her outfit was rather plain. The fitted black dress she wore was wrinkled, as though she had been wearing it for some time. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a bracelet made of silver rectangular pieces. One of the pieces, the piece that that rested on the back of her wrist, bore a square blue stone that shone brilliantly in the light. The makeup on her face was smeared, especially around the eyes, as though she had been crying for a lot longer than what I just seen.

“This is my cousin, Elise Manning,” Spock said, drawing my attention away from the woman. “Elise, this is James Kirk and Leonard McCoy. They were stationed on the Enterprise.”

Jim put his hand out for her to shake, which she blatantly ignored.

“Pleasure to meet you both,” she said, looking at me instead of Jim.

“Not to be rude,” Jim said, dropping his hand. “But how are you two cousins? She is definitely human. I mean, she’s got rounded ears.”  
            I elbowed him. “Seriously?” I hissed. “Can’t take you anywhere.”

“I am from his mother’s side of the family,” Elise supplied. “Our mothers were sisters.”

Jim smiled one of his flirtatious grins that I’d come to hate. He always got into to trouble when he looked at someone like that. “That explains the different last names, Ms. Manning.”

“Or perhaps I am married and changed my last name to my spouse’s,” she quipped. Both Uhura and I suppressed smiles as Jim’s face fell.

“Oh shit, I am so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“She is not married. She simply doesn’t like you,” Spock said. I could tell he wasn’t trying to be mean. In fact, I think he was trying to be helpful. Jim became defensive, obviously missing what Spock was doing.

“Wait, what? What do you mean she doesn’t like me? She just met me!”

“She is standing right here, so perhaps you can direct the questions to her,” Elise said. “And I don’t like you because I have heard about you. Your reputation precedes you, Kirk.”

“You can call me Jim.”

Elise wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “No, I’m good. Thanks for the offer though.”

My curiosity was eating me alive. I knew it was going to piss Jim off but I had to ask her the question that was just burning to be asked. Before I knew what I was doing, it tripped off my tongue.

“So, what did you hear about him?”

She turned her attention on me, her face softening a hair. “I’ve heard plenty. Most recently, Spock told me all about how he cheated by reprogramming the Kobayashi Maru test.”

One corner of Spock’s lips curved upwards. “I recall that after I told you, you said, and I quote, ‘He’s a troll. Either he is so dumb that he thought he wouldn’t get caught or he wants to get thrown out of Starfleet. Rip him a new one, Spock.’ Did I miss anything, Elise?”

“I think you cut out a lot of curse words.”

“Yes, I assumed it would be inappropriate to repeat them at this time.”

Uhura gave a small smile as she watched Spock and Elise interact. It was at that time that Jim had to start being annoying again, likely in an attempt to change the subject.

“I didn’t see you introduce Elise to your girlfriend, Spock. Where are your manners?”

“We already know each other, idiot. Who do you think complained to her about you all these years?” Uhura said. “I met her before I even met Spock.”

I felt my eyebrows draw together as I looked at her in confusion. “Okay, so how did you meet?”

“She can tell you later,” Elise said dismissively. She turned to face Spock and Uhura. “You guys find Sarek and come to my apartment. I’ll make dinner for everyone.”

“Aw, Bones and I aren’t invited?” Jim asked. He stuck his bottom lip out and widened his eyes as though he were a dog begging for scraps at dinner.

“Okay, I have no idea who or what Bones is and I’m not sure I want to because it sounds borderline inappropriate. So why don’t you talk it out with Spock here while I go somewhere you’re not. If he agrees to let you come to dinner, then fine.” She patted Spock’s chest and smiled up at him. “Call me and let me know if we’ll have extra guests.”

Elise gave Uhura a quick hug and waved at me before leaving.

“So, what do you say, Spock? Can Leonard and I come for dinner? I think we both need a home cooked meal right now.”

Spock and Uhura exchanged a quick look. Uhura shrugged.

“You are coming so as to bother my cousin, are you not?” Spock asked.

Jim laughed. “That’s part of it. In all honestly though, I just want to be somewhere quiet and with people I trust. If I go to a restaurant or to the dorms or the cafeteria, everyone will be bugging me about what happened on the Enterprise.”

“Don’t we all have to go to debriefings about what happened before we do anything else?” I asked the group.

“Bones, can you stop killing the mood?”

Spock cut in, stopping the impending argument. “Yes, you may both come for dinner. I will alert Elise that she will need to prepare larger quantities of food. I will send her address to your PADDs. You are free to arrive at her apartment anytime after the debriefings.”

“I don’t think they’ll need to interview me today so I’ll find Sarek and take him to Elise’s,” Uhura said. “I’m sure he needs a break from the crowds.”

“Yeah,” I grumbled, glaring at the people milling about. “I think we all do.”


	2. No One Would Take Her

Leonard

My own debriefing hadn’t lasted long. I essentially told them about sneaking Kirk on board, the few things I managed to see on the bridge, and about keeping people alive in the medbay. After they figured out I had no idea what Kirk had been up to, they dismissed me with the promise of future meetings. 

Checking my PADD, I found the address Spock sent me and caught a cab. The building I was dropped off at was massive. It was tall, much taller than anything in my hometown, and it looked impressive with the ornate doors and the canopy overhanging the front entrance. The building even had a doorman in a fancy uniform. 

“Can I help you, sir?” he asked, eyeing me and my disheveled Starfleet uniform. I mentally kicked myself, knowing I should have gone back to the dorms and changed before coming here. It was too late to do anything about it at that point. 

“I’m here to see Elise Manning. I think this is the right place. I mean, this is the address her cousin gave me.”

“Oh, Elise!” His mood brightened considerably. “She told me she’d be having guests over. She’s on the 13th floor. Take the elevator up. When you get off, turn right and her’s is the third on the left.”

“Do you know where all the residents live in the building?” I asked, my voice a little harsher than I intended. 

“I keep track of who lives alone and where. I like to check in on them if I haven’t seen them in a while, you know? Just to make sure they’re okay.” He looked me over again. “Did you meet Elise at the Academy?”

I shook my head. “Today was the first time I met her. Her cousin and I are stationed on the same starship. Wait, she’s Starfleet?”

He ignored my question. “She’s nice, trust me. She may seem intimidating or standoffish when you first meet her but once she warms up to you, she’s great.”

With that, the doorman looked back down at the podium he stood at. He started to read something on a PADD. I took that as my cue to leave.

The inside of the building was beautiful. The architecture and decorations were all grand, even if they did look antique and a tad outdated. I skirted around the potted plants beside the sitting area in the lobby and boarded the elevator. Following the doorman’s directions, I approached what I hoped was Elise’s apartment and knocked. 

I heard someone shout, hurried footsteps, and then the door opened to reveal Uhura. She had changed out of her uniform into a pair of black leggings and a long, loose grey t-shirt. When she looked at me, she frowned.

“Seriously? You didn’t change?”

“I had other things on my mind, sue me.”

She rolled her eyes and opened the door wider, letting me in. Just past the door was a spacious, yet cozy, living room. The navy blue sectional faced a large screen built into the wall. The cover of an old album was displayed on the screen as music filtered out from the speakers. Sitting just at the edge of the cushion on the couch was a Vulcan man that I recognized to be Spock’s dad. I gave him a smile and a wave. He nodded at me in acknowledgement. 

Just past the living room was a small dining room. The table was already set with plates and glasses, all resting on blue and white woven placemats. To the left was a doorway to what I assumed was the kitchen and to the left was a hall. I figured the hall led to the bathroom and whatever other rooms this place had.

“Elise, do you have anything that might fit McCoy? He forgot to change,” Uhura called.

“She’s not going to have anything,” I hissed. She ignored me.

Elise came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a rag. Her hair looked a little damp, like she had taken a shower not long ago, and her face was clean of makeup. She’d changed into loose fitting jeans that nearly hung off her narrow hips. The green shirt she wore looked worn and soft, obviously old and well-loved. Her smile was warm and calm, her stance and body language much more relaxed than the last time I saw her. 

“Yeah, I should have something. Nyota, the timer is about to go off for the rolls. Could you pull them out for me?” she asked. 

Uhura nodded and made her way to the kitchen. Elise motioned for me to follow her down the hall. 

“I keep some clothes for Spock in the guest room. They may be a little small for you.” She glanced back at me, sizing me up. “You’re shoulders are broader.”

“Wow, Miss, hold on,” I said as we entered the guest room. She made a beeline for the dresser and began rifling through the top drawer. “I don’t want Spock getting mad at me for taking his clothes.”

She scoffed. “They aren’t really his. I buy stuff for him and try to get him to wear it but he always refuses. He complains about the fit or the fabric or whatever flaw he can find to get out of wearing it. I hold onto some of the pieces and hope that someday he will agree to wear them. Trust me, he won’t be mad. If anything, he’ll be delighted that I won’t try and foist them on him again.” Elise handed me a black t-shirt and a pair of dark wash jeans. “These were a bit big on him so maybe they’ll fit you. They could be a little tight though. If they don’t fit let me know and we can try to find you something else.”

With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her. 

I set the clothes on the bed beside me and began stripping out of the dirty Starfleet uniform. With a sigh of relief, I tossed the shirt to the ground. Elise had been right in saying the clothes she gave me would be too small, though they weren’t so tight that I was uncomfortable. The shirt clung to me in a way that I wasn’t sure if I liked or not. Being partial to loose clothes, I had never worn form-fitting shirts before. The jeans fit around my waist and around my legs, but they were too short in length. I put my boots back on and was thankful that they covered the hem of the jeans. Running my hands over the clothes, I tried to smooth out the wrinkles. If my mother taught me anything, it was that you have to look your best when going to a dinner at someone else’s home. She told me it was a part of being a gentleman, but I think she was just sick of me wearing dirt-covered clothes to family dinners. Once I realized it was a lost cause to smooth the jeans, I gathered my uniform, folded it, and made my way back to the living room. 

“Woo! Looking good, Bones!” Jim hollered, having just arrived. Spock stood beside him, looking as emotionless as ever. Both had changed out of their uniforms. Jim wore his normal jeans and leather jacket getup while Spock wore a short sleeved button up shirt and dark pants. 

“Shut up,” I snapped at him. “Ms. Manning, where could I set my uniform? I don’t want to be tossing my dirty clothes somewhere you want kept clean.”

“It’s Dr. Manning actually,” Spock said.

Jim turned to look at him. “What?”

“My cousin. She is a doctor. I apologize for introducing the three of you without your titles. I was preoccupied with other thoughts. Nyota, have you-”

“I already told her about Kirk and McCoy’s roles on the Enterprise, don’t worry,” she called from the kitchen.

Elise came back into the room from the kitchen, talking as she walked. “Honestly, I don’t care if people call me doctor. You guys can call me whatever you want as long as it’s not nasty.” She took the clothes from my hands before I could protest. “I’m putting these in the washer. Go get yourself something to drink,” she told me, marching off back down the hall. 

Spock smiled slightly, looking at what I was wearing. “I see my cousin has gifted you with the clothes she regularly attempts to force me to wear.”

“Yeah, I forgot to change out of my uniform before I came. None of it fits but it’s better than nothing.”

Jim laughed loudly. “I think you should keep the shirt. You can wear it to the bar and pick up girls. Because, damn, that is leaving nothing to the imagination. Who knew you actually had muscles?”

“Be quiet, Kirk,” Uhura said, coming into the room and shoving a drink in his hand. She handed the second drink to Spock in a much gentler manner. “McCoy, why don’t you come in the kitchen and fix yourself a drink. I need to finishing chopping vegetables for the salad.”

I did as I was told and followed her back to the kitchen. Just as I started to pour myself a drink, Elise entered the room. Uhura whipped around and shooed her away.

“You have been on your feet for over an hour cooking. Take a break!”

“You were on a starship that got attacked! You should be resting!”

The two women glared at one another, obviously trying to get the other to back down. After a pause, Elise sighed and her shoulders slumped. “If I don’t do as you say, you’ll have Spock make me, won’t you?”

Uhura laughed. “You know me so well. Now go sit down and visit with your family.”

I waited until Elise was out of earshot to sidle up to Uhura and ask “Okay, what’s the story with her?”

Uhura sighed, glancing at me once before going back to cutting vegetables. “Well, she was at the Academy. Just 3 years ahead of me. She’s one of the smartest people I know, I swear. She skipped multiple grades growing up all because she was impatient and wanted to join Starfleet. I found out later that was because she wanted to be closer to Spock. 

“So, close to the end of my first year, Elise and I were both in the library one night and happened to need the same book. After arguing over it for a minute, we decided to share it. After a while, we started talking and became friends. When I was choosing classes for the next year, she insisted I take Spock’s class. She’d told me about her Vulcan cousin before but I’d never met him. I didn’t even know he was in Starfleet until she told me to take his class.” Uhura paused, popping a bite of carrot into her mouth before she continued talking. “I knew they were close growing up. They would talk over video calls and sometimes, Spock and his parents would visit Earth to see his mother’s side of the family. Spock and I hit it off and the rest is history.”

“Okay, but Spock said she’s a doctor. What is she a doctor off? And why isn’t she serving in Starfleet if she went to the Academy?” I asked. It took Uhura a moment to answer. I could tell she was organizing her thoughts and thinking everything through. 

“I can trust you, right? I mean, I know you’re Kirk’s friend but you seem nice and like you can keep quiet about things.”

I gave a short, dark chuckle. “I’m a doctor. I have to be able to keep secrets. The whole patient-doctor confidentiality thing, you know?”

“Alright. Just keep your mouth shut. It’s not really a secret but Elise hates when people bring it up or pity her,” Uhura said. I straightened up, giving her my full attention before gesturing for her to continue. Uhura took a deep breath and then spoke. “She graduated from the Academy as a doctor of xenophysiology and was slated to be a medical officer on one of the Starships. Then, her mom got sick. Elise had to drop out of Starfleet to take care of her mom. She did that for about a year before her mother passed. After that, she got a job with a company that produces new medical technology. She goes to hospitals and shows the doctors the new tools, how to use them, and tries to get the hospital to buy them. Actually, the company she works for also sells to Starfleet. It’s a massive business and she goes all over the world to show people the new tools. She was in London when Spock called her to tell her about the attack on Vulcan. She caught a shuttle ride back here to wait for him.”

As I listened to her, I downed my drink, not paying attention to how fast I was gulping it down. “And the rest of her family? Do they live around here?”

Uhura shook her head. “It’s just Spock and Sarek now.”

“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled, running a hand over my jaw. I felt the stubble scratch at my skin and realized I couldn’t remember when I last shaved. “Why doesn’t she rejoin Starfleet?”

“She tried. None of the Captains would take her. They thought she was unreliable since she left Starfleet right after graduation.”

“Yeah, to help her mom.”

Uhura shrugged. “They don’t see it that way. From what I understand, they thought she should have stayed with Starfleet and put her mother in a care home.”

“Sometimes I hate Starfleet.”

“Me too.”


	3. Who Needs A Drink?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry

Elise

Dr. McCoy looked comfortable and relaxed as he leaned against the counter in my kitchen. His hair was a little messy, which went well with his 5 o’clock shadow. The clothes I gave him definitely didn’t fit. The shirt was nearly skin tight and as he leaned against the counter, the front of the shirt rode up, leaving a strip of skin on display. The pants were a tad snug but seemed to fit him. From the way he’d tucked them into the boots, I guessed they had been too short. A strange little flutter started in my chest when I realized that he had made some sort of effort to look presentable for dinner. It was endearing, really. I found myself wondering if that was the southern gentleman in him or if it was a habit drilled into him from years of wearing his cadet uniform at the Academy. 

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought him physically attractive when I first saw him and now, seeing him standing in my kitchen with a little half smile and a glass of whiskey in his hand, I felt my heart lurch and butterflies in my stomach.

As I stepped in, Nyota turned around and waved me away. 

“You have been on your feet for over an hour cooking,” she said. “Take a break!”

“You were on a starship that got attacked! You should be resting!”

I found myself glaring at her, hoping that if I stared long enough, she would listen to me. It didn’t take me long to realize she wouldn’t back down. I should have known better; she’s always been stubborn. I sighed and relaxed. “If I don’t do as you say, you’ll have Spock make me, won’t you?” I asked.

“You know me so well. Now go sit down and visit with your family,” she said, laughing. 

Rolling my eyes, I went back to the living room and soon found myself sitting between Spock and Kirk. On Spock’s other side was his father, who had barely spoken since arriving. I didn’t blame him. Losing your planet and your spouse all in one day had to be traumatic. As soon as that thought crossed through my mind I felt the tears start to well in my eyes again. 

I couldn’t think about my aunt without crying. 

I didn’t say anything. I just leaned forward, grabbed the drink I left there earlier, and downed it. 

“Jeez, Manning. Slow down there. You don’t want to be drunk before dinner, do you?” Kirk asked, eyeing my now empty glass. 

“The past two days have been hellish for all of us. I wouldn’t blame anyone here for getting drunk. Speaking of, Spock, Sarek, do either of you want more to drink?” I asked, gesturing to their empty glasses that had once held chocolate liquor. 

Sarek shook his head while Spock mumbled out that he was fine.

The room was tense as we all sat in silence. Finally, Kirk spoke. “So, Dr. Manning, is it?”

“Yup,” I said, popping the P. “Xenophysician. Studied at the Academy, graduated, and then promptly left Starfleet. Right now I work for a company that sells medical tools.”

He nodded. “Bones studied xenophysiology when we were at the Academy. He drove me insane every time he got ready for a test. He’d be up all night talking to himself about this species or that species. I considered smothering him in his sleep more than once.” He made no comment about me leaving Starfleet, something that I appreciated. 

I snorted. “That’s something my roommate would have said. You probably would have gotten along with her. Of course, you get along with most women, don’t you?”

“Yeah, most of the time I do,” Kirk winked, a mischievous grin on his face. “You still talk to your old roommate?”

A lump formed in my throat. I took a deep breathe before answering him. “Riles and I kept in touch, yeah. We were best friends.”

“You’re talking in the past tense. What happened?”

“She kept working for Starfleet and became a senior engineering officer. When Vulcan was attacked, she was stationed on the Farragut,” I placed my empty glass back on the coffee table. “It was destroyed by the Romulan ship.”

“My condolences,” Spock said, touching my shoulder gently. “I was not aware she had been deployed to help Vulcan.”

I patted his knee. “It’s not your fault, Spock. You didn’t do anything wrong so don’t apologize.” I got up from the couch and picked up my glass. “I’m getting a drink. Anyone else want one?”

Kirk scrambled up and took my glass. “I’ll get it for you, don’t worry about it. Sit down.”

“Why is everyone treating me like I’m fragile? You guys were just in space fighting an insane Romulan terrorist. I should be taking care of you guys,” I snapped. 

“You three lost family today. The others and I didn’t. Sit and let us help,” Kirk said. He gave me a stern look until I dropped back down into my seat. After I sat, his face relaxed into a less serious expression. “Anyone else?”

Both Spock and Sarek handed him their glasses.


	4. Now She's Hurt

Leonard

I watched Uhura cut vegetables while I nursed my second glass of whiskey. This one I drank considerably slower than the last. We didn’t talk about anything. We stood together in comfortable silence. The atmosphere was relaxed and quiet.

Then Jim stumbled into the kitchen with an armful of glasses.

“Holy shit,” he whispered. “Those three are having the worst week of their lives.”

“Yeah, Kirk, losing your home planet and a family member will do that,” Uhura snapped as she handed him the chocolate liquor without being asked.

“Well, Elise also lost her best friend. She was in engineering on the Farragut.”

The knife fell out of Uhura’s hand and onto the cutting board with a clatter. Her eyes went wide and her hands were pressed over her mouth.

“Wow, hey there. Are you okay?” I asked. Not liking the way she was swaying, I set my glass down and got ready to catch her if she fainted.

“I didn’t think about it,” she whispered. “All our friends… the ones on the other ships. They’re gone. I… I was supposed to be on the Farragut too. If I hadn’t made Spock transfer me to the Enterprise, I’d be dead right now.”

“Alright, you look like you’re about to pass out. Go sit down with your boyfriend,” I said. “Doctor’s orders.”

“I need to finish cooking.” Uhura tried to pick up the knife. Jim dodged in and grabbed it away from her.

“Nope, Bones and I can do it. We’re great cooks.”

She squinted at him suspiciously. “I get the feeling you’re not.”

“I know how to cook and I’ll keep him from breaking anything,” I assured her. “Don’t worry about it.”

Elise marched back into the kitchen only moments after Uhura left.

“Nope, guests don’t cook. It’s the rule,” she said just as she slide up beside me, wrapped her hand around the handle of the knife, and tried to push me away from the counter with a well aimed hip check. I kept ahold of the knife but took a step to the side, giving her space.

Jim looked up from his PADD as he leaned against the fridge. “You let Uhura cook.”

“She’s like family.”

“Listen here, darlin’. I’m going to help you because you need it,” I said. “I’ll be cooking whether you like it or not.”

Elise looked startled as she stared up at me.She stood mere inches from my chest, forcing me to look down at her. I knew if I stepped back, Elise would feel like she won and she’d coherence Jim and I into leaving. With a hard gaze and my teeth gritted together, I stood my ground.

I half expected her to start yelling at me. Instead, she snorted.

“Did you just call me darlin’?”

Caught off guard, I started to stutter. “Well… I… You see-”

Elise let go off the knife and walked around me to the stove. “Everything else is done. Cut up that last carrot for the salad, cowboy, and dinner will be ready.”

Elise and Jim left to carry bowls and plates of food to the table. I didn’t recognize some of the dishes and based off the color and smell, I guessed they were Vulcan. The dishes I did recognize made my mouth water.

It was all comfort food. Homemade mashed potatoes, roast beef, corn, dinner rolls; my stomach growled just looking at it all.

As we took our seats, Elise topped off everyone’s drinks. As she poured whiskey into my glass, I mouthed a silent thank you to her.

Dinner was quiet. It wasn’t in a comfortable way like it had been when Uhura and I had been in the kitchen together. The silence was tense. Everyone was waiting for someone else to speak first. Jim sat next to me, both of us across from Uhura and Spock. Elise and Sarek took the two ends of the table. Uhura and I would exchange looks on occasion. I tried to use my eyes to ask her what was going on but she either didn’t understand or ignored my silent pleas.

Surprisingly, Sarek spoke first. “Starfleet is working with the elders of the Vulcan community to locate a suitable planet for our species to establish ourselves,” he said, not looking up from his plate.

“Oh, that’s great!” Elise said. She set her fork down to give him her full attention. “Once a planet is found, be sure to let me know. I’ll take time off work to help you get moved and settled.”

That’s when Sarek stopped eating. He sat back in his seat and looked at her, his eyes blinking rapidly. Spock suddenly looked nervous.

“It seems you have misunderstood our intentions of coming to this dinner,” Sarek said. “I was under the impression that you understood this was a farewell meal.”

“Father, what are you saying?” Spock asked.

“Dr. Manning and I are no longer related. With Amanda’s passing, we have no connection.”

Elise’s eyes flicked back and forth between Spock and Sarek. “No connection? Spock and I share blood. Is that not enough?”

Sarek shook his head, an almost sad and pitying look in his eye. “Spock will be coming to New Vulcan to assist in rebuilding our society. It is the logical thing to do. If he is to have any hope of fully assimilating to and preserving the Vulcan culture. It would not be wise for him to continue to have personal relationships with those on another planet.”

“You can’t possibly be serious! Spock and I are family. Do you actually expect us to cut off all contact?” Elise snapped. That same fiery look she gave Jim earlier was back in her eyes. “And what about his friends? He has a life here.”

“Spock will do what is best for the largest number of people. The Vulcan race is now endangered and is in need of far more aid than a small group of humans on Earth. Spock will do what is logical, as he always has.”

I glanced over at Spock, waiting for him to respond. His eyes were round and glassy as he stared down at his plate. He looked completely catatonic as he sat there.

“Spock?” Uhura said, trying to get his attention. “Are you okay?”

He blinked twice before sitting straight in his seat. “Yes, Ny-” he caught himself before he said her first name. Clearing his throat, he continued. “Yes. I am well. I am simply evaluating the situation and the options available to me before I make my decision.”

Uhura’s face fell when he didn’t call her by name. Tears welled in her eyes. She turned away from Spock and place her hand over Elise’s.

Elise didn’t seem to notice. Her fists were balled tightly as she stared at Sarek. Her expression was emotionless. It was almost Vulcan-like, in an eerie way. She swallowed thickly before speaking,  her voice measured and clipped.

“I see. Thank you for correcting the miscommunication.” Sliding her hand out from under Uhura’s she picked up her mostly full plate and gave the table a tight smile. “I will start preparing dessert. Please, finish your meals.”

She stalked into the kitchen, leaving us in silence at the table. Sarek began eating again, soon to be followed by Jim and Spock. I knew they were just trying to make things less tense but it still seemed odd that either of them had an appetite after Sarek had just announced he was essentially disowning Elise. Uhura and I glanced at each other and I could tell we were thinking the same thing. _What do we do now?_

“I need to freshen up. Excuse me,” Uhura said.

“I forgot to wash my hands before dinner. I’ll come with you.” I jumped up, setting my napkin on the table next to my plate.

The two of us slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind us.

“What the hell was that?” I whispered.

She shook her head. “I have no clue. I mean, I’m upset that my boyfriend is leaving but I understand. His people need him. But to cut Elise out? I mean, they are the only family she has left!” Uhura paused to run a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face. “She’s got to be a mess.”

“She seemed pretty calm out there.”

“That’s what she does when she’s upset. She shuts down. I guess that’s what happens when you grow up with a Vulcan for a cousin. You learn a thing or two about suppressing your emotions.”

A crash and sudden shout made us both jump. I made to go out the door only for Uhura to stop me. She pressed her hand roughly into my chest.

“Stop. It’s just Elise.”

“Yeah, I know,” I snapped, trying to get around her. “It sounds like she’s hurt.”

Uhura shook her head. “No she’s not. She’s angry. If she got hurt, we’d know it. She’s upset, that’s all. It’s understandable, really. When someone holds in an emotion for too long, they are bound to break, you know that. She’s lost so much in the past few days and she’s been acting like she’s totally fine. I think being told she can’t speak to her cousin anymore set her over the edge.”

A second cry came from the kitchen, this one high pitched and short, like a yelp.

Uhura perked up, a worried look on her face. “Okay, now she’s hurt.”


	5. Stop Climbing

Elise

I walked into the kitchen and dumped my food into the garbage. There was no way I was eating anymore that night, not after everything that happened. I stood there, staring at the plate in my hands. All my pent up anger and fear and sadness began to rise inside me, threatening to spill over.

I closed my eyes, trying to will the emotions away, reminding myself that bursts of strong emotions made Vulcans uncomfortable. That’s when I paused.

What did I care if they were uncomfortable? If this was the last time I was going to see them, then why should I behave? It’s not like they could take anything else from me.

With a loud yell, I smashed the plate on the counter, fragments of it going flying. It took me a moment to register what I’d done. I felt my hands trembling as I stared at the mess.

Taking shaky breathes, I marched over to the fridge and pulled the door open with a quick snap, deciding that I’d pick up the pieces of the broken plate later. I pulled out the various fruits I had bought on my way home that day. The plan had been to make a light fruit salad for dessert and while I was angry at Spock and Sarek, everyone else in the room had been caught in the middle. There was no way I was going to forget my manners by not offering them dessert. It wasn’t fair to them that they had to hear all that. The least I could do would be to feed them. 

The berries and melon were already clean and cut. All I had to do was slice the apples. It didn’t take me long and as I set the knife down on the cutting board, I realized I hadn’t gotten a bowl out for the fruit salad.

Cursing under my breath, I looked up at the cabinets that hung well over my head. I groaned, knowing I’d have to climb on the counter, like always, to reach what I needed. With a short running start, I planted my hands on the countertop and jumped, trying to vault myself high enough to get my knee on the counter.

It was in that moment that I wished I had stopped to clean up the broken plate instead of ignoring it. 

I had put my hand down right on top of a large shard of the plate. As I tried to lift myself, the sharp point dug into my hand, effectively stabbing the meaty base below my thumb.

A screech ripped its way out of my throat as I dropped myself back to the ground, the bowl now forgotten. I sat myself down on the floor, suddenly feeling woozy from the sudden and unexpected pain. I lifted my hand up to eye level, studying the injury. 

With a quick pull, I wrenched the broken piece from my hand. I hissed in pain, biting my lip to keep me from screaming again. As I struggled to my feet again, a chair was pushed back from the table as someone stood. A pair of hurried footsteps crossed through the living room towards the dining room.

“You sit your Vulcan ass down, Spock. You’ve done enough,” I heard McCoy growl, his southern accent thickening. 

I didn’t know what was going on out there and I didn’t care. All I cared about was turning on the sink and rinsing out the cut. I bowed my head and closed my eyes as I let the tepid water run over my hand. Focusing on my breathing, I tried to keep myself calm. I really didn’t want to cry, not with all the guests over. 

A hand on my shoulder drew me out of my thoughts.

“Let me see,” McCoy said. 

I nodded, pulling my hand from the water and angling my body so he could see, still keeping my hand over the sink. I didn’t want to drip blood onto the floor.

With gentle, calloused hands, he took hold of my wrist and turned my hand towards him. He gave a low whistle. 

“How’d you manage to do that?” he asked.

“I broke a plate and then accidentally stabbed my hand on a part of it while climbing on the counter.”

McCoy looked at me and raised one eyebrow. “Okay, I want the full story but first, do you have any medical supplies here? I can patch you up, if you want.”

I felt myself release the breath I didn’t know I had been holding. Relief washed over me at the thought of someone else being the doctor for once. Usually, if I got hurt, I’d have to take care of it myself. More than once I acted as both doctor and patient at the same time. It was nice change to be just a patient for once.

“Yes, I do. Thank you. They’re in a bag in my room,” I gestured with my free hand towards a clean dishrag behind him. “Could you hand me that?”

He did as I asked and watched as I wrapped the cloth around the cut.

“I don’t want to get blood on the carpet,” was my defense when he gave me a questioning look. 

That pulled a small chuckle from him. “I think your priorities are out of order.”

“Whatever. Come on.”

I lead him through the apartment, all the while being sure to avoid looking at the others. At the end of the hall, I opened the door to my room and let McCoy go ahead of me. As he stepped in, the lights came on, sensing a new presence. 

“Do those turn on everytime you move in your room?” he asked, glaring at the bright lights set into the ceiling. 

“No, when I go to bed I turn off the automatic system. Only way it would turn on would be if someone opened the door. It’s kinda a security measure, you know? If someone tried to break into my room, the lights would wake me up,” I explained. Opening my closet, I picked up the bag that rested on the floor in the corner. It was an older looking blue backpack, the canvas soft and faded. I got it just before going to the Academy. After I left, I didn’t see a reason to get rid of a perfectly good bag, even if the blue color, the same shade as a science officer’s uniform, reminded me of what I could have been. I just loved the thing too damn much. 

I handed the bag off to McCoy and followed him into the bathroom that was attached to my room. With a quick hop, I sat myself on the edge of the sink, being careful not to jostle my hand. 

“You could have asked for help before getting up there,” McCoy grumbled. He set my bag on the counter next to me and came to stand in front of me. “Or maybe try not climbing on counters, considering that’s how you got in to this mess in the first place.”

“This normally doesn’t happen when I climb on things.”

“Yeah, about that,” he said, unwrapping the towel from my hand. “Why were you on the counter?”

I laughed a little. “It’s kinda silly, really. I’d broken the plate and didn’t feel like cleaning up so I started on the fruit salad. After I finished cutting the apples, I remembered I’d forgotten to get out a bowl. So I was trying to climb up on the counter to reach one. I sorta ran forward a little and tried to lift myself up onto the counter but all I managed to do was put my hand right down on a piece of the plate. And this was the result,” I said, wiggling my fingers.

“Stop moving,” he snapped. After looking the cut over for a moment, he spoke again. “Doesn’t look too deep and it doesn’t look like there are any bits from the plate still in there. If you’ve got a dermal regenerator in your bag, I should be able to get this closed up.”

“Yeah, I have one. It’s somewhere in the main pocket.”

McCoy opened up my backpack and began rifling through it, being careful not to damage any of the tools in there. The longer he searched, the deeper his frown became. Eventually, with a huff, he pushed the bag towards me. 

“You’ve got too much junk in there. I can’t find it.”

I rolled my eyes at him. After a moment of rummaging, I found what I was looking for. McCoy took it and turned it on.

“So why were you climbing on the counters to reach the bowl?” he asked, eyes fixed on my hand as he began to pass the tool over it.

“I’m too short to reach anything,” I said. “That kitchen was designed for giants, I swear.”

“I had no trouble reaching anything.”

I huffed, which only caused him to smile. “We can’t all be as tall as you, cowboy.”

“Don’t call me that,” McCoy said. He turned off the dermal regenerator and put it back into my bag. I opened and close my hand, flexing and feeling the freshly healed hand. 

“Whatever, cowboy.”

I jumped down from the counter and made for the door. Just before I got there, McCoy stopped me.

“Elise, wait a second,” he said. McCoy leaned back against the counter, being sure to give me space in somewhat cramped bathroom. “About what happened at dinner-”

“It’s fine, McCoy,” I snapped, cutting him off. “I should have realized what was going on before they even showed up.”

He shook his head, running a hand through his already messy hair. I nearly laughed when he gave me the same exasperated and irritated look I’d seen him give Kirk. He pursed his lips slightly, frowning all the while. McCoy glared at me, his brown eyes dark in the low light of the bathroom. 

“Kid, it’s not fine. I want to know if you’re going to be okay.”


	6. Rejoin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is stupid short, which is funny because later chapters are stupid long. Sorry guys!

Leonard

“Kid, it’s not fine. I want to know if you’re going to be okay.”

Elise shrugged. Her hair fell over the back of her shoulder, sending a waterfall of dark wavy hair streaming down her back. Her light brown eyes avoided my own as she looked, up blinking rapidly. When she looked back at me, she gave me a wry smile.

“I’ll live. That’s the best anyone can hope for.”

I knew the answer to my question but felt like I had to ask it anyway, hoping that she’d tell me something different than what Uhura said. “What about the rest of your family? Are you close with them?”

She shook her head. “Dad left when I was a kid and I haven't heard from him or seen him since. Mom got sick right after I graduated so I left Starfleet to take care of her. She died a year later. Spock was my only extended family.”

“What about friends?”

“I have Uhura still.”

I ran a hand down my face, closing my eyes and sighing. As soon as Uhura was deployed again, Elise would be alone. “Jesus Christ, past few years haven’t been kind to you, have they?”

She laughed darkly, a sarcastic bite to her words. “Yeah, you could say that. At least I have my job. That’s something.”

“Do you like it?”

“It’s okay. Hard to make friends when you’re constantly being shuffled around the world, you know?” she said. Elise shifted her weight to her other foot, a nervous air to her movements.

And then, like lightning, an idea struck me. I stood up straight and faced her full on. As soon as I did, her arms dropped from being crossed in front of her to hanging at her side, a startled look on her face.

“Are you still a licenced doctor?” I asked. “I mean, if you wanted to, you could work at a hospital?”

“Uh, yeah, I am,” Elise said, starting to look confused. “I’m not a big fan of hospitals anymore. Spent too much time in them with my mom.”

“That’s fine, you don’t have to work in one. What you should do is rejoin Starfleet. We need doctors on the Enterprise.”

She snorted and shook her head, turning to leave. “No Captain will take me. I’ve tried.”

“There’s a Captain sitting in your dining room right now that would take you.”

That made her pause. She looked back over her shoulder at me. “Kirk?”

“Yes. He’s the type that gives people second chances. I mean, look at me,” I said, gesturing to myself. Her eyes slid down my body and then snapped back up to meet my eyes. “When Jim met me, I had nothing but my flask. I was a drunk who was leaving Earth to run from my problems. I was mean and sarcastic and not pleasant to be around.”

“So nothing’s changed?” she said, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

I pointed a finger at her. “Hey, I’m not a drunk anymore.”

Elise giggled. I thought that had to be a good sign. It was like the wall she’d built around herself was starting to crack. That meant I had a chance of convincing her to join Starfleet. I felt my confidence grow as I continued to talk.

“Jim took one look at me and decided we were going to be friends. He’s my family now and I know damn well that once he has a solid crew for the Enterprise, he’ll be forcing all of us to be one big happy family. That’s just the way he is. You’d be welcome there.”

“I don’t know, McCoy. I have a life here. I’ve got a steady job that’s low risk. All things considered, I’m doing okay,” she said, a fleeting look of sadness crossing her face before she schooled her expression back to a neutral expression. “Starfleet is dangerous. Probably not the best place for me.”

“I’m afraid of flying,” I blurted out, surprised at myself for even saying it. I wasn’t one to share with strangers.

Elise stared at me for a second, a confused look on her face, and then burst out laughing.

“You’re afraid of flying but you’re in Starfleet? You do know that the job is literally to be in a flying vessel, right?” she asked. 

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the sink. “Whatever, kid. The point is, people have fears and they get over them. You suck it up and you do what's best for you, even if it’s scary. Think about rejoining. If you decide you want to, tell me and I’ll send Jim your way so you two can talk it over.”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Nope.”

Elise sighed. “I don’t know why you want me on your ship but I promise I’ll think it over. Does Uhura have your contact information?”

“She should. Once you make up your mind, get my info from her.”


	7. What Does He Want You To Think About?

Elise

The dining room was quiet when McCoy and I returned. I’m not sure who, but someone had finished the fruit salad and served it to everyone. Nyota poked at her’s with her fork, not seeming to be interest in it. I noticed that she had taken McCoy’s seat beside Kirk. The two were actively avoiding making eye contact with either Vulcan. I sat down in my seat at the head of the table and McCoy took Nyota’s old spot by Spock. 

Nyota looked over at me. “Are you okay?” she asked. 

“I’m fine, don’t worry. McCoy handled it.” I lifted my newly healed hand to prove my point. She gave me a small smile before going back to poking at her dessert.

The small dish of fruit before me did not look appetizing. I speared a bite of apple with my fork and popped it in my mouth. As I chewed, I didn’t taste a thing. I was too distracted by Sarek staring directly at me from across the table.

“Is there a problem?” I asked, not caring if it sounded rude. 

“I have never seen you act in such an emotional and destructive manner,” Sarek said, his statement simple and even.

“Yeah, I was always sure to act as calm as I could around Vulcans,” I spat. “I knew it made them uncomfortable if I acted too human. Only one that I was myself with was Mr. Spock here.”

Spock sunk further down in his chair, shrinking in on himself in an attempt to avoid attention. Sarek didn’t seem to notice. He nodded at what I said, his mouth a thin, straight line. 

“I see. That was considerate of you,” he said. Sarek went back to eating the fruit salad, making it clear the conversation was over. 

I glanced at Nyota. She stared at her fork absent mindedly, her mind somewhere else. I looked at Kirk, who was shoveling fruit into his mouth to avoid having to speak. Lastly, I checked on McCoy, who hadn’t even picked up his fork to try the fruit. He sat back in the chair, arms folded across his chest and a grumpy, borderline aggressive expression on his face. It wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular. His eyes were fixed on a spot of the wall just past Nyota.

My human guests were upset. I’d been trying to hold this dinner together for the sake of my “family” and their Vulcan sensibilities when I had no reason to. Every time I was around a Vulcan, I put so much energy into keeping them happy that I ignored everyone else.

That was about to change.

I set my fork down and leaned forward, my elbows on the table and my eyes on Sarek. 

“I think it is time for you and Spock to leave.”

He blinked at me, the closest I would get to him looking offended. “I do not understa-”

I interrupted him. “Yeah, I know. You don’t understand. That’s because you don’t feel anything, you damn robot. By announcing that I was no longer your family in the middle of dinner and in front of my guests, you have been rude and disrespectful. You are inconsiderate to the needs of others and I want you and your son out of my apartment. Leave. Now.”

“Elise,” Spock said sitting straighter. His eyes were wide.

“Mr. Spock, I do apologize for the inconvenience but seeing as we are no longer family and your father does not think it wise for you to be in contact with me, I don’t think it appropriate for you to stay,” I said. I hated how cold and calculated my voice sounded. It always got like this when I tried to hide what I was feeling, especially with these damn Vulcans. 

Sarek stood from the table, gesturing for Spock to follow suit. Without a word, Sarek walked to the door and stepped into the hall. When he realized Spock wasn’t following, he turned back.

“If you must say your farewells, do so now,” he told Spock. “I will wait in the lobby.”

Once Sarek was out of earshot, Spock began speaking, a desperate tinge to his voice. “I was not aware of his intentions. If I had, I would have warned you,” he said. “I apologize for his behavior.”

“You can’t seriously plan on cutting off all contact with non-Vulcans, are you?” Kirk asked, finally making a comment on the situation. “Both your cousin and your girlfriend are human. And what about Bones and I? I thought we had something special.”

“This is not the time for jokes,” Nyota snapped.

“I wasn’t joking. I thought all of us were going to be good friends. But now he’s running off.”

“Hold your horses, everyone. He said during dinner that he was thinking over his options. Give the guy a chance to give his answer,” McCoy said, looking surprised he was defending Spock. 

“He’s going to New Vulcan,” Nyota said. “I can tell.”

“It’s the logical thing to do. They will need every hand on deck if they want to rebuild their population without breeding relatives,” I said, stabbing another bite of apple with more force than necessary. “They’ll need to have the largest gene pool they can possibly get.”

Nyota pointed at me and nodded. “Precisely.”

Spock’s shoulders drooped the slightest amount. It wouldn’t be noticeable to most. Only someone like Nyota or I, someone who’d spent the a lot of time with him, would see it.

“I apologize to all of you,” he said. He didn’t elaborate. Spock simply stood and walked around the table to Nyota and I. He held out two fingers to Nyota, offering her a Vulcan kiss. Kirk and McCoy both seemed confused by the gesture, especially when tears began running down Nyota’s cheek as she reached out and pressed her own fingers to his. 

Once they broke apart, he stepped up to me. Neither of us had to say anything. He opened his arms the slightest amount and I slipped in, wrapping my own around his middle. 

“I’m mad at you,” I mumbled into his chest. “But I still love you. You’re still family to me, even if you and your father don’t consider me yours.”

I felt him take a breath to speak but I stepped away from him, placing a hand on his chest. It gave him pause and he closed his mouth. 

“Your father is waiting,” I told him. 

Spock nodded. Just before he stepped through the door, he turned and raised his hand in a Vulcan salute. 

“Live long and prosper,” he said to us all. 

Nyota and I both raised our hands, doing the same. Kirk struggled to get his hand into the gesture but quickly gave up. McCoy didn’t even make an attempt.

With that, Spock left. The door closed behind him with a slight hiss.

Nyota turned to me, arms open and ready for a hug. We buried our heads into each other’s shoulders and held on as tightly as we could. Neither McCoy nor Kirk said a word.

I pulled back and held onto Nyota’s shoulders. “Do you want to stay here tonight?” I asked. “I think I still have some of that wine you like.”

She gave a short laugh, wiping at her face as she nodded.

“I think a sleepover sounds great. We can braid each others hair, watch movies, maybe we can even play spin the bottle. What do you think, Bones?” Kirk said. He gave his friend a massive smile. I half expected Nyota to yell at him but instead, she just shook her head with a sad smile on her face.

“God, you are so annoying,” she said.

“You still love me.”

“No, she doesn’t,” McCoy snapped. “And you are not staying the night here, Jim. Were you raised in a barn? Let the girls have some time to themselves, damn it.”

“Fine. We’ll take a rain check on the sleepover, ladies. Elise, do you need help cleaning this up?” Kirk asked, gesturing to the table.

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. Do you guys want to take home some leftovers? I feel so bad that none of you got a peaceful dinner. I mean, with everything that’s happened and then you come here to this mess-”

Nyota wrapped an arm around me again, pulling me into her side. “None of this was your fault.”

I nodded, giving her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. I picked up one of the platters from the table and went into the kitchen to start packing food for the men. Nyota stayed with McCoy and Kirk to talk about the meetings they would all need to attend the following day. Multiple times she had to remind Kirk that, no, he could not call the admirals all stupid for putting him on academic probation, or as he called it, “time out.”

Every time I went back into the dining room to pick up another bowl or plate to take to the kitchen, McCoy would try and help me. And every time I had to remind him he didn’t need to. 

I put the small plastic containers of food into one of the brown paper grocery bags I had been given earlier while doing my shopping. When I handed it off to Kirk, I reminded him that there were two servings of everything in there and that he had to share with McCoy.

“It’s not all for you, got it?” I snapped. There was no real anger behind my words. If I had to be honest, I had grown to like the annoying man.

Nyota and I wished the two goodbye, Nyota making a point to hug them both. As she wrapped her arms around McCoy, his brow crinkled and he glanced at Kirk for help. Kirk ignored him, instead choosing to swoop in and give me a hug before I could protest. 

“If you need anything, let me know,” he told me, his face serious for once. 

When I said goodbye to McCoy, I extended my hand for him to shake. “Doesn’t look like you’re much of a hugger,” I said.

He shook his head and took my hand. “Yeah, I’m not. Jim doesn’t care though. He is always trying to get people to hug me. He thinks it’s funny.” McCoy chuckled, giving me a small smile. He glanced down and realized he still had a hold of my hand. Quickly, he let it go, dropping his own arm to his side. 

“Thank you for the help with my hand. I really appreciate it,” I said. “I’m not really used to being a patient.”

“It’s not a problem. And think about what I said, okay?”

I smiled. “I will.”

Once they both left, Nyota fixed me with a suspicious, yet curious, look. “What does he want you to think about?”


	8. Snazzy

Leonard

“What do you want her to think about?” Jim asked. After we’d left Elise’s building, we began walking towards the dorms. Neither of us really wanted to go back there but we had nowhere else to go. I just knew it was going to be too quiet. It’d feel too empty. 

Out in the cool night air, Jim began grilling me.

“What did you say? Did you hit on her? Come on, Bonesy, you’ve got to tell me!”

“First off, don’t call me that,” I snapped, my standard grumpy expression fixed on my face. “And I asked her to consider joining Starfleet again. We need doctors on the Enterprise and I figured you’d be one of the few Captains that would agree to take her on.”

“Starfleet would have to approve her first and I’d need to look over her credentials. Personality wise, I think she’d be a good fit. I mean, she’s not scared of you, so that's a plus.”

I huffed indignantly. “People aren’t scared of me.”

“Yes, they are.” Kirk said. He turned around and walked backwards, facing me and grinning. “You’re always insulting people. And you have the personality of a rain cloud. We’re probably going to have issues finding people that will agree to work in the medbay with you.”

“Ha ha, you’re so funny. Plenty of people have worked with me and they don’t complain.”

“And they never hang out with you after your shift ends,” Kirk said, nearly running into a pole. I grabbed his arm and steered him away. With a glare, I turned him around to face forward. The incident didn’t break his stride. 

He kept chattering away at me. “Elise has grown up dealing with Vulcans. She has to have the patience of a saint to put up with them. She’s got great emotional control, up until she snaps but I think that's a stress management thing. We can work on that. And she doesn’t seem to hate either of us. As long as she is actually a good doctor, Elise would be a good fit.” Jim suddenly stopped, eyeing me. “You forgot your uniform.”

I groaned, realizing he was right. I was still wearing the clothes Elise had given me. “Ah hell. I guess I’ll walk back. You can head to the dorm and I’ll meet you there.”

“Nah, I’ll come with you.”

We didn’t get far before my comm beeped. Pulling it from the too tight pocket of the jeans, I answered the call.

“McCoy speaking,” I said, my irritation clear in my voice.

“Hey McCoy, it’s Uhura. Elise just remembered she still has your uniform. When I go back to the dorms tomorrow, I’ll bring it to you.”

I blinked in surprise, not having expected Uhura’s clipped voice. Whenever my comm went off, I assumed it was either Jim calling to bother me or the hospital needing me to cover a shift. With Jim right next to me, I’d assumed it was the hospital calling me. 

“Oh, uh thanks, I guess. Tell Elise I said thanks too.”

“Can do. Here, hold on.” Uhura’s voice grew distant as she spoke to Elise. “ _ McCoy says thanks… What?... Okay, I’ll tell him. And maybe you should leave some wine for me. Jeez. _ ”

“Everything okay?” I asked, repressing a laugh.

“As soon as you two left she broke out the booze. Pretty sure she’s drank half a bottle of rum and she’s on her third glass of wine. At this rate she’s going to end up with alcohol poisoning. I’ve already got a hypo ready just in case. Also, she wants me to tell you that you can keep the clothes that she gave you because, and I quote, that shirt looked pretty ‘snazzy’ on you.”

Jim crowded closer trying to hear what Uhura was saying. “Is she saying Elise is drunk? I bet that’s a sight to see. Ask Uhura if she’s drunk too.”

“Shut up,” I snapped at him. I heard an indignant huff coming from my comm. “Not you Uhura. Jim’s being annoying. He wants me to ask if you’re drunk.”

“I’ve had a few glasses of wine. Unlike Elise, I know how to behave while drinking. Look, I’ve got to go. Elise just challenged me to a drinking contest and I need to talk her out of it. I’ll have your uniform tomorrow.”

The line went dead.

Jim laughed loudly, clapping me on the back. “Elise knows how to party! And I like what she said. ‘Snazzy.’ Yeah, that shirt is definitely snazzy, Bones.”

“How about you shut your mouth before I hypo you into next week.”

Jim ignored the threat. Instead, he began leading me back to the dorm, chattering the whole way about getting Elise on the ship. 

“Jim, can you calm down. She hasn’t said she wants to yet.”

“ _ Yet _ being the keyword,” Jim said. “I’m just saying, with her on board, people might not dread going to the medbay. She’s actually nice, unlike you. You could learn something from her.”

As we walked past the various dorm buildings, Jim and I grew quiet. The younger students, the ones who hadn’t been deployed, were holed up in their rooms. A few of them sat in their open windows and waved at whoever walked past. 

“Welcome back!” one of them called. 

Jim waved back. I did not. 

In our dorm, Jim worked on putting the food away while I dropped onto my bed. I laid across it, spread eagle, my arms hanging off the edges. 

Jim draped himself sideways on his bed, facing me. “What are we going to do about Spock?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, how do we get him back on the Enterprise?”

I snapped to attention. Sitting up in my bed, I looked at him as if he was crazy. “Are you insane? The guy is running off to New Vulcan, not staying in Starfleet. Even if he was, you two don’t like each other! And if you plan on bring Elise on board, do you think it's a good idea to have her cousin, who recently disowned her, on board as well?”

Jim put his hands up defensively. “Wow, slow down. Spock didn’t disown her, his dad did. I bet Elise and Spock would make up if they talked things out. And you know damn well I don’t hate Spock, not after everything that happened with his future self.”

“Oh, you mean the visions he put in your head?”

He frowned. “They were memories from his timeline. Spock and I were good friends there. We were like brothers. I need to make that happen here too. It’ll help get us back on track timeline-wise.”

I pointed a finger at him, a warning tone to my voice. “You leave him alone, ya’ hear? Let what happens happen.”

With that, I flopped onto my back again and went to sleep.


	9. Call Me Scotty

Leonard

“He’s great, Bones. You’re going to love him.”

“You’ve got to stop picking up strays,” I grumbled, following Jim to the bar he was forcing me to go to. Unfortunately for us, there was a festival going on in the street just outside the bar he chose.

It had been weeks since we’d arrived back on Earth and so far most of my time had been taken up with debriefings and rotations at the hospital. With the confirmation that Jim would continue to be the Captain of the Enterprise, he’d been working on selecting a crew.

We’d yet to hear from Elise.

“He’s one of the smartest guys I know. If it wasn’t for him, I’d have been stuck on that ice planet. You’re going to like Scotty; he’s a good guy. Also, he can drink more than anyone I know,” Jim assured me.

“Oh, so we’ll get along great.”

The street was filled with vendors and booths. Kids ran from game to game, screeching with excitement. Their tired parents trailed behind, an air of irritation and stress about them. People milled around while they talked and took in the sights. All the businesses along the strip had their doors open, welcoming the festival goers in. 

Kirk pulled me through the crowd to a small brick building that housed what he claimed to be the best bar around. 

“It’s not great for picking up girls, but the drinks are amazing and they’re cheap. It's a great place for a boys night,” he insisted as we zigzagged through the crowd. I glared at a pair of teens that had nearly crashed into us. The two didn’t seem to notice, too caught up in each other.

When we stepped into the bar, a short man waved to us from the bar. His round face lit up when he saw Jim. He have my friend a huge smile just before turning to the bartender and saying something to him. When we approached, he clapped Jim’s shoulder and gestured to the two seats next to him. 

“Good to seeya! And this is McCoy, eh? Nice to meet ya.’ You can call my Scotty,” he said in his thick Scottish accent.

“Pleasure,” I said, trying my best to give a genuine smile. 

The bar was crowded, more so than I liked. Everything felt cramped and cluttered. Tables were set up throughout the room and a pool table sat in the back corner. Guys moved around smiling and talking to the few girls in the bar. I rolled my eyes and turned away just as the bartender set down drinks for Jim and I.

“Aw, Scotty! How’d you know?” Jim asked with a wink, taking a large swallow of the whiskey. “It’s my favorite.”

“Well, you’re a man with good taste, Captain.”

“Please, it’s Jim. We’re off duty.”

The two started to chat about plans for the Enterprise. While I did pay attention to some of what they were saying, I found my mind starting to wander. There’s only so long I can pretend to be interested in the inner workings of the warp core. 

“I’ll be wanting specs on everything before we set out the first time, ya hear?” Scotty said, smiling. “I’m not letting anything on that ship unless I know how it works.”

“I think we can manage that, Scotty. Now, about the-”

Jim didn’t get to finish his thought. A commotion behind us caught his attention. On the other side of the room, three Human men stood next to a table glaring at a group of Romulans. One of the Romulans, a male, had just stood up, slamming his hand on the table. The room quieted at the sound. I was only able to catch the tale end of what the Romulan was saying.

“...us alone. We have the right to be here, same as you.”

“I don’t think so,” the Human in the front of the group said. It was obvious he was the leader of the trio. He shoved the Romulan, sending him back a step. “Your kind is disgusting. It’s your species fault that the cadets are dead. An entire planet was destroyed by your kind!” 

The Romulan straightened, fury in his eyes.

“This is going to be bad,” Jim said. “Romulans are stronger than humans. That dude is in for an ass-whooping.”

“Should we do something?” I asked.

Jim shook his head. “We’re on thin ice as it is. We get caught fighting in a bar, we may not be allowed back on the Enterprise.”

As the Romulan man stepped forward, fists clenched and mouth open to say something, someone dodged in front of him, a fist to his chest, the knuckles pressing into his sternum, and an open hand extended towards the Humans, trying to keep them from approaching. Her bracelet glittered as she moved.

My stomach dropped as I realized it was Elise. 

She looked tiny compared to them all. Both her long sleeved shirt and faded black jeans clung to her, showing just how skinny she was. I found myself wondering if she had lost some weight since I last saw her. 

She addressed the Romulan. “If you attack them, they only have more ammunition to use against your people. Let this one go.”

He studied her face for a moment before relaxing slightly. He nodded and took a step back. 

Elise dropped her arms and faced the Human men, keeping herself between the Humans and the Romulans. 

“You’re going to go back to your table and you’re going to leave them alone. Do you understand me?” she growled. Her back was straight as a board, her shoulder pulled back. I noticed that her right hand was still clenched in a fist. I could see something just poking out of her small fist but wasn’t close enough to tell what it was. I could see that it was black and cylindrical. It was small enough in diameter for her to be able to wrap her small hand around completely.

“You’re defending murderers, are you?” one of the Humans said. He swayed slightly and rested a hand on a nearby table to steady himself. 

The Humans were trashed. 

“They aren’t murderers, idiot. The Romulans that attacked Vulcan and Earth were not affiliated with the Romulan Empire. They weren't even from this time period. Why don’t you try catching up on the news instead of listening to gossip? Might do you some good.”

The leader of the Humans snorted. “Look at her. Isn’t she cute?” He took hold of her wrist. “Calm on, babe, get out of the way.”

With a quick tug, she pulled herself free of his grasp and knocked his hand away with a shove.  His face contorted, his anger at her disobeying his order getting the better of him, and with his other hand, he slapped her across the face. It wasn’t a hard slap. It was just enough to snap her head to the side.

I expected her to get angry and yell at him but instead, a serene look fell into place on her face. Her empty hand rolled into a fist as she looked directly into the man’s eye.

“Do not touch me again,” she said, her voice calm.

He turned to look at his friends, all the while laughing. With an uncoordinated swing, he went to grab at her hair.

With lightning like reflexes, she dodged under his arm. At the same time, she flicked her right wrist and a baton extended from the small black cylinder in her hand. She drew her arm back and in a downward strike, hit the side of his knee. Elise let the baton pass in front of her, winding up for a backhand strike. She pressed her left hand to the side of her arm and pushed while swinging, putting all her weight into it. A loud crack was heard as the baton struck his face.

The man went down. Hard. 

The other two men moved in on her. Without hesitation, she dodged around one of them, keeping him between her and the other. With a quick kick, she struck him the the gut, forcing him to double over. Elise grabbed the back of his head with both her hands and dragged it down into her rising knee. 

She wasn’t so lucky with the third man. He was faster than the others, probably less drunk than them. He shoved her backwards, sending her sprawling onto a table, her head whipping back and struck the flat top of the wooden table. The baton flew out of her hand and hit the ground. The man snatched it up and raised it above his head to hit her. Elise’s arms came up in front of her face, ready to block. 

Having finally pushed through the crowd, two of the bartenders grabbed his arms and dragged him back. They took the baton from his hand and set it on the table beside Elise. Once he stopped struggling, they let him go, all the while keeping between him and Elise.

Elise sat up from the table. Her hand came up and rubbed at her cheek. It’d turned bright red from the slap. She lifted the baton and pressed a button on the handle. The whole thing collapsed back in on itself. 

The first man she attacked had started to yell, calling her every name in the book. One of the bartenders, the one who had given Jim and I our drinks, spoke loudly over the complaints. 

“Is there a doctor in here?” he called out, looking around the bar. 

Elise raised her hand. “I am.”

“Besides you,” the bartender said, a hint of a laugh in his voice. 

Before I knew what I was doing, I was on my feet and speaking. “Everyone move. I’m a doctor.”


	10. Round of Shots

Elise

My ears were ringing as I sat up from the table. Suppressing a groan, I rubbed at my face. It had started to sting and ache from the slap. Smacking my head on the table hadn’t helped my headache either. 

Andi, my favorite bartender at the bar, had set my baton down next to me. I lifted it and collapsed it, silently thankful that I had remembered to bring it with me tonight. 

“Is there a doctor in here?” Andi yelled, his voice louder than that of the first guy I had attacked. 

“I am,” I said, raising my hand.

Andi gave me a stern look, the corner of his lip twitching as he repressed a smile. “Besides you,” he said, humor in his voice.

A rough voice spoke from the bar as a man stood and began to push through the crowd. “Everyone move. I’m a doctor.”

My heart skipped a beat while my stomach dropped as I realized that the man was Dr. McCoy.

There went any chance I had at joining Starfleet. That is, if I wanted to join. I was still trying to decide. 

After seeing me getting into a bar fight, there was no way McCoy would take me. Just past him, sitting at the bar, was Kirk.

Yep. I had definitely blown my chances with Starfleet. 

“That crazy bitch broke my knee! Why hasn’t anyone called the police?” the man on the ground asked. 

I whipped my head towards him, glaring. “Yeah, why doesn’t someone call the cops? We can tell them all about how I defended myself against some drunks who were about to commit a hate crime.”

He paled and looked away from me. As McCoy got closer, the man started to plead from his spot on the dirty floor. 

“I really think it’s broken and my head is hurting really…” He trailed off McCoy passed by him and approached me. 

I blinked at him, confused. 

“Hey there, kid. Let’s see that face,” McCoy said. His voice was gentle and his touch gentler as he turned my head to look at where I was slapped. “Does it hurt?”

I shrugged. “It stings a little.”

His fingers ran across my cheek bone, inspecting my skin. I was thankful that my blush was hidden by the bruise that was forming. 

“You’ll want to ice it. It’ll help keep the swelling down.” He glanced at the table I was still sitting on. “Good thing there were no glasses on the table. Wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened last time I saw you.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “Yeah, that wasn’t fun for anyone.”

“Jim is at the bar. Why don’t you go up and sit with him until I get done with these idiots.”

“Hey!” one of the men cried indignantly. 

We both ignored him. Instead, I gave him a small smile, which he returned. With a quick nod, I went to the bar. 

As I approached, Kirk patted the seat beside him. “Let me tell you, Manning, I didn’t do nearly as well as you did in my last bar fight.”

That piqued my interest. “You’ve been in a bar fight? And they’re still letting you be a Captain? Seems foolish.”

“It was before I enrolled in Starfleet. The day before, actually. No joke. I ended up with a black eye and bloody nose.”

A man’s head popped around Kirk to look at me. His smile was wide and his eyes danced. I couldn’t tell if his rosy cheeks were from the drink or if he always looked like that. I didn’t have time to decide before he was chattering away at me, his Scottish accent thick.

“Let me tell ya’, lass, that was one of the best bar brawls I’ve seen in years. Course, I have been stuck on a barren wasteland of a planet for forever. I’m buying you a drink, what do ya’ want? Margarita? Martini?”

A glass thudded down in front of me, startling all three of us. 

“She drinks just about anything you give her,” Andi said with a wink. “But I know her favorite is rum and coke.”

I picked up the drink and took a sip. It burned as it went down my throat. I grinned at Andi. “This is why you’re my favorite bartender when Benny isn’t here.”

He laughed. “Just last night you admitted I was your favorite, even over Benny, so don’t try to tell me otherwise, you ass. By the way, Dante says the rest of your drinks are free tonight. Also said I should try again in persuading you into being a bouncer here, but I know you’ll say no.”

“You guys don’t even need a bouncer. You just need to pay more attention to what’s happening around you.”

“You two know each other?” Kirk asked, his eyes flicking between Andi and I.

“Of course I know her. She and her friend would come in here a couple times a month to drink and to hustle drunk guys at pool,” Andi said. He looked past me and smiled at someone. “Hey, thanks for helping out. Were those guys okay?”

Before I could turn to see who Andi was speaking to, McCoy dropped into the seat beside me. He picked up his drink, which had been sitting in front of me, and downed the last of it. 

“They’re a bunch of whiny brats. The one was convinced his knee was broken and the other kept claiming that he had a concussion.”

“Were they right?” Kirk asked.

“No. They’re just banged up. They’ll be fine.”

“Well, thanks anyway. Here, on the house,” Andi said, refilling McCoy’s glass.

“So what's this I hear about you playing pool?” McCoy asked, turning on the stool to face me. “I’m guessing you were good if you were hustling people.”

I laughed and shook my head. “No, I’m terrible. Riles was the one who was good. We’d play a game, me trying my best and her letting me win, all the while talking about how we weren’t sure of the rules. Some drunk guys would hear, come over, and offer to teach us. Once we let them give us tips, Riles would challenge one of them to a game. The bet was always that if she won, they had to pick up our tab for the night. If the dude won, she’d take him on a date. And without fail, she’d always win.”

“Yeah, and then you’d two would drink as much as you could because you weren’t paying,” Andi laughed. “Half the time the poor man would just have your tab switched over to his name and then he’d leave. We’d just bill him the next day.”

“I’m liking you more and more!” the third man said. He reached past Kirk and offered his hand to me to shake. “Montgomery Scott. You can call me Scotty.”

I took his hand and offered him a small smile. “Elise Manning. Nice to meet you, Scotty.”

“Elise here is going to be our newest doctor on the Enterprise. Isn’t that right, Dr. Manning?” Kirk laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and squeezing me into his side. I squeaked as he jostled my drink, spilling a little on my shirt.

“I haven’t agreed yet, Kirk!” I said. “Besides, do you really want a doctor that gets into bar fights?”

“Yes, definitely. Honestly, I think it's a selling point,” Kirk said, There was a smile on his face but I could tell he was being serious. “A doctor should know how to defend themself. What if a patient becomes violent? You can’t just run and hide.”

“Technically you can. It just makes you a bad doctor,” McCoy said with a huff. 

I raised my glass to him. “Damn straight.”

“Wait,” Scotty cut in. “You’re the girl Jim told me about? You’re Commander Spock’s cousin?”

“Depends on who you talk to,” I said, my mood souring. I tossed back the last of my drink and gestured to Andi. He was in front of me with another within seconds. I started in on it as soon as he handed it to me. 

“Ah, sorry. Forgot about that,” Scotty said. “Jim mentioned that he was an arse to ya’. How are you holding up?”

“Just minutes ago I was drinking alone in a bar and picking fights with men twice my size. What do you think?”

“Sounds like you’re doing great then. Cheers to you.”

That got a chuckle out of me. Jim was laughing right along while McCoy snorted. 

“So, have you thought more about coming back to Starfleet?” McCoy asked. “We’re working on finalizing crew members. Been saving a spot for you in the medbay.”

I lowered my head, avoiding his gaze. He shifted ever so slightly closer to me, waiting for my answer. I found myself looking at his dirty hiking boots. They weren’t his Starfleet boots; they were Earth boots. The image of him hiking through the woods, sweat on his brow and the sun shining on his face flashed through my mind. I quickly pushed the image away, not wanting to get caught up thinking about his bright smile and warm eyes. 

“I haven’t had time to think about it,” I lied, hurriedly taking a drink, still keeping my eyes cast away from any of the men. The truth was I had had plenty of time to think about it. Deep down, I knew what I wanted. I was just too scared to take it. 

“Come on, Elise. What’s holding you back? Are you scared of flying like Bones?”

“Shut up, Jim.”

Jim ignored him. “Or do you have a secret boyfriend you don’t want to leave? Forbidden romance?”

I nearly choked on my drink. “God no.”

“Secret girlfriend then.”

I finally looked at Jim. His blue eyes twinkled as he grinned at me. I shook my head, laughing lightly. “No, no girlfriend either. Work has me traveling all over the place which means I don’t have much time for dating. Or making friends, for that matter. Besides, I’m not very good at relationships. I think what my last boyfriend told me when we broke up was that I was ‘emotional stunted and distant.’ Guess that’s what happens when your childhood role model is a Vulcan.” 

I expected an awkward silence. That’s what normally happens when I mention that I have next to no friends. That, or the person starts trying to comfort me with hollow compliments and promises to spend more time together. Instead, Kirk just smiled wider.

“That sounds familiar,” he said, looking past me to McCoy. “Minus the Vulcan part, of course.”

“Listen here, lassie,” Scotty said, catching my attention and ignoring the obscene gestures that Kirk and McCoy were now making at each other. “Sounds to me like the only good thing you’ve got going for ya’ right now is yer job. Jim said something about ya’ selling stuff to doctors. I may not really understand what you do but ya’ mentioned traveling. Aren’t you done exploring Earth? There’s an entire universe out there and the only way you’re going to see it is if ya’ join Starfleet. Besides, wouldn’t you rather be a doctor instead of selling stuff to ‘em?”

I blinked at him, surprised by how blunt he was. Not that I was offended. I was glad of it. Before I could say anything else, he spoke again. 

“What’s really holding ya’ back?” he asked.

I found myself being honest with him. I hadn’t planned on telling them the really reason I hadn’t agreed yet, but I found myself trusting the Scottish man. 

“I’m scared of failure,” I admitted. “I’m scared I won’t be good enough.”

“That’s not something you need to be scared of. I took the liberty of looking up your files from when you were in Starfleet. You were one of the best doctors they had,” Kirk said.

“How did you get the files? Aren’t student records classified?”

“Jim can hack just about anything,” McCoy said. “He hacked your cousin’s simulator, remember?”

Scotty perked up. “He did what?”

Kirk waved him off. “I’ll tell you later. My point is, Elise, you would be nearly the most qualified doctor on the Enterprise, second only to Bones. Yeah, you’ve been out of the game for a few years but you’d get back into the swing of things within a few weeks. Bones would help you.”

“Don’t volunteer me for things.”

“He’d help you.”

I looked over at McCoy. His body was still turned towards me. He leaned to the side, one elbow on the bar to prop himself up. The glass in his hand was half full of a dark brown drink that was only a shade lighter than his chocolate colored eyes. His brow was still furrowed to match his perpetually grumpy attitude but the small quirk to his lips and the softness around his eyes showed that it was all just a front. 

I felt my reservations evaporate. 

“I’m in.”

McCoy broke into a huge grin while Kirk and Scotty whooped and hollered. 

“We need to celebrate!” Kirk said. He downed the last of his drink and waved to Andi. “A round of shots for each of us!” 


	11. Stars and Stuff

Bones

Scotty knew how to drink. The man could toss back drink after drink as if it was nothing. I could tell he was drunk, just like Jim and Elise, but he handled it alot better than they did.

I had stayed sober to keep on eye on the three. Not to say I didn’t have a few drinks but it was nowhere near enough to get me drunk. I was just a little buzzed. 

We’d been drinking for an hour or so now, still sitting at the bar. Jim and Elise were leaning on each other and laughing at the story Scotty was telling. 

She was beautiful when she smiled. I’m not talking about the forced smiles she gives everyone or the small smiles that slip out. I’m talking about the teeth flashing, open mouthed laugh type of smile. Her eyes were squeezed shut while her nose wrinkled up. Deep dimples made themselves known as she went into another round of laughter at the punchline of Scotty’s story. 

Elise hadn’t talked much about herself. Jim and Scotty hadn’t noticed, but I did. She was skilled at talking with people without revealing anything about herself. As she drank more and more, her shoulders relaxed and she seemed more comfortable with us. 

Scotty leaned forward, both elbows on the bar, and stared down at the bracelet on Elise’s wrist.

“That’s a pretty little thing. The blue will match you’re uniform too, ya’ know,” he said, reaching out and tapping twice on the stone. 

With a screech and a quick slap, she knocked his hand away and yanked her own to her chest.

“Don’t do that!” she said, her words rushed. “The stone is hollow and there’s a long distance transmitter inside. Tapping it too many times sends out a panic alert.”

Scotty stared at her for a second before breaking out into a grin.

“You fit a transmitter in there? Let me see!” He made a grabbing motion with his hand. “I promise not to tap it.”

She eyed him warily before putting her hand back down. Scotty lowered his face to just inches over the bracelet, crowding Jim as he did so. 

“You can’t even see it in there! Amazing! So if it’s a transmitter, who is it transmitting too?”

Elise picked up her drink, which was some sort of monstrous concoction made by Andi just for her, and took a big swallow. “Spock. He has one too. We have a program on our personal PADDs that can show where we are. If we tap 4 times real fast, it sends a distress signal to the other. The stone will vibrate when it receives or sends an alert.” She’d stumbled over a few of her words, slurring others. Elise paused to take another drink. “He used to wear his transmitter in a bracelet too. He put it on the back of his Starfleet badge a few years ago.”

“I thought you couldn’t modify your uniform,” I said, joining the conversation. 

“You can’t modify its appearance. He modified it for functionality reasons. Totally doesn’t count,” she said. She looked at the bracelet, a strange look on her face. “I’m not sure why I keep wearing it. I guess it's just habit. I haven’t taken it off in years.”  

“It’s special to you. You should keep wearing it,” I said, feeling like I needed to comfort her. Elise looked over at me and smiled. I couldn’t help myself as I smiled back. 

Jim changed the topic, choosing to challenge me to a game of pool. I took another swallow from my glass and followed him through the bar. Elise and Scotty trailed behind, carrying their own drinks. They found a high top table against the wall to watch us from. I noticed Scotty had to steady her at one point as she stumbled. Both he and I kept an eye on her as she scrambled up into the tall chair, nearly spilling her drink in the process.

I set my glass on the table top in front of her. Jokingly, I pointed a finger in her face and gave her a stern look. “You watch that drink for me, you understand? I don’t want anyone stealing it.”

Elise snorted and gave me a salute. “Gotcha.”

“I play winner!” Scotty called, taking his seat across from Elise.

Jim was terrible at pool. Sober, he wasn’t bad, but drunk, he’s horrible. He’d hit the wrong ball or scuff the felt with the pool cue each time it was his turn. The game was over quickly with me beating him. 

Scotty downed the last of his drink. He got down from the chair and came to take the cue from Jim. With a huff, Jim handed it over. 

“Come on, Elise, let's get something to drink,” he said.

She whooped and jumped down from her chair. With how tall the chair was, it was a bit of a fall for her. She wobbled as she landed, not steady on her feet. It didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest. Once she had her footing, she and Jim were dodging through the crowd back up to the bar.

“Think we should follow them?” I asked Scotty.

He shook his head. “If they get in trouble, we’ll know it. Come on, let’s play.”

We nearly finished our game when we realized Jim and Elise were up to something. The song that had been playing in the bar ended. There was a pause, longer than normal, and then another song started. It was a classical song, I could tell by the first few notes. It started slow and quiet only for it to turn loud and angry with thumping drums and a screeching guitar. I knew right away that Jim had something to do with it.

I stood up straight and began trying to see over the heads of the other patrons.

“Where is he?” I growled. 

Scotty gave a bark of laughter from beside me. “Found them. Over there.” He pointed towards one side of the bar. There, Jim and Elise were bouncing around and dancing, flinging their heads and laughing. Jim sang along to the music, his voice lost in the noise of the bar. Elise wasn’t singing, probably because she didn’t know the song, but she was clearly enjoying herself all the same. 

Scotty set his cue down and went to the high top table. He got back into the chair, which put him a good head over the crowd. I joined him and picked up my drink from earlier. Thankfully, neither Elise or Scotty had drank it while I played against Jim. 

While the music wasn’t my favorite, it was great fun watching the two dance. When the song slowed, Elise’s and Jim’s dancing slowed, their moves dramatic and extargetrated. At one point, Jim took her hand and spun her into him, dipping her low while she squealed with laughter. Once she was back on her feet, she took his hand and tried to spin him. Jim had to crouch down to get under her arm. 

“Think there’s something between them?” Scotty asked, gesturing to the two. “They seem pretty friendly.”

My stomach soured at the thought. I wasn’t sure why the idea bothered me so much. I barely knew her, it wasn’t like I had any right to feel protective of her. But I knew how Jim was with women. It wasn’t that he treated them poorly. He just wasn’t interested in lasting relationships. I didn’t want Elise to get her feelings hurt. Maybe it bothered me because soon he was going to be her Captain and them sleeping together would be against regulations. Captains couldn’t have relations with crewmen. 

Then I noticed how much distance Jim kept between himself and her. They were dancing together but it wasn’t the same as when he danced with someone he was wooing. He would have been plastered to her back with his face buried in her neck if that was the case. 

“Nah, I think they’re just having fun,” I answered Scotty.

Once the song ended, Jim and Elise went back up to the bar, grabbed two shots each, and weaved their way through the crowd. 

“One for you,” Jim said, handing a drink to Scotty. He handed the next to me. “One for you.” Lastly, he took one of Elise’s drinks and grinned. “And one for me.”

Jim and Elise tossed their shots back simultaneously and then slammed their glasses down on the table. Scotty and I followed suit.

“Want us to pull up chairs for you guys?” I asked, watching the way they were both swaying. 

“Nah, we’ve got it handled,” Jim said. Without giving any warning, he bent down, wrapped his arms around Elise, just above her knees, and lifted her straight in the air. She squealed and grabbed his shoulders so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Jim backed her into the tables edge and let her go, dropping her into a sitting position on the table top. The shot glasses went skittering, nearly falling off the table.

“See, she’s got a seat now!” Jim laughed. “I can just sit in your lap, Bonesy.”

“No, you will not. And get Elise down. Seems like everytime she’s up on a table or a counter, she gets hurt.”

Elise ignored me and scooted herself further onto the table until she was resting with her back on the wall behind her. 

“I like being up here. I feel tall,” she said. Her head rolled to the side and she smiled at me, her cheeks rosy from both the drinks and the dancing. “I never get to be tall.”

Jim leaned into my side, his arm draped around me. “You’re the best, Bones, you know that?”

“Thanks, Jim. You’re pretty swell yourself,” I said, shaking his arm off. “You both are cut off, by the way.”

They both started whining and complaining.

“Don’t be mean to Jim,” Elise said. She looked at me with big round eyes and pouting lips, trying to beg.

I shook my head. “He needs someone to be mean to him. And since when do you call him Jim?”

“Since we became best friends,” was her answer. She reached over and ruffled Jim’s hair, making him laugh. Elise glancing over at the bar and smiled. “Jim, do you see that blonde there? The one with a martini?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I’ve seen her here before. Anytime she’s looking for a hookup, she comes here alone and drinks those martinis until she finds a guy she likes. Maybe you should go and strike up a conversation with her.”

Jim gave her a wicked grin, his teeth flashing and his eyebrows waggling. “Maybe I should.” He ran a quick hand over his hair, unsuccessfully trying to make it look less messy, and made his way through the crowd to the woman.

“Hey, how come you found him a gal and not us?” Scotty asked, poking at Elise’s arm. 

“She’s not your guys’ type, trust me. I’ll keep my eyes open for girls for you two, don’t worry.” Elise winked at him.

“Pass. I don’t do one night stands,” I said, sitting back in my chair. 

“Ooh, such a gentleman,” she giggled.

“With you being one of the few ladies in this place, do ya’ get a lot of attention?” Scotty asked her. “The ratio of men to women in here is in the women’s favor.”

Elise shook her head. “I got some attention the first few times I came here but after the third fight, men started to steer clear. Guess word spread.” She chuckled, obviously remembering the different times she’d brawled here. “I’m not a fan of mean people. Drunk guys would mess with some poor girl and I’d come in to save the day. Drove Riles insane.”

“Speaking of fighting, where did ya’ learn to fight like that? You took on three men at once, lass. That’s hard for anyone, let alone a girl as small as you,’” Scotty said, pulling his drink out of her reach as she tried to pick it up. Elise pouted for a moment before answering. 

“You guys have met Spock. Imagine him as a kid. He was an easy target. Someone had to protect his dumb ass. And it's not like I was exactly winning that fight earlier. If no one had stepped in, I’d have been beaten black and blue.”

“I would’ve stepped in before that,” Scotty said. “I’m not about to see a lass get roughed up like that.”

“Wait, I thought he grew up on Vulcan. Why was he on Earth?” I asked.

“He’d come and stay with my family sometimes. Just for a month or so. It was supposed to help him learn about his Human side so he could better control it or something like that. With his weird clothes and his hair and his ears and how scary smart he was, Human kids would mess with him,” she explained. I noticed her fiddling with her bracelet absentmindedly. “He didn’t want to fight back because he knew he’d hurt them. He’s got that Vulcan strength, you know? So I would stand up for him. Had to learn pretty fast how to fight people who were bigger than me.”

Scotty laughed, shaking his head. “It’s hard to imagine him needing protection, not after how he beat the shit out of Jim.”

“Like I said, he tried to avoid fights. He only does it when he’s really upset or if the person poses a serious threat.” Elise paused for a second, her eyes glassy. She laughed lightly to herself and then continued. “I remember the first time I got into a fight for him. I’d just turned 6. Spock and I were at the park and he was teaching me about multiplication and division by drawing math problems in the dirt. Group of boys came over, saying nasty things and kicking the dirt to erase all of Spock’s hard work. I didn’t do anything until they shoved him. That’s when I punched the biggest bully in the group. I had no idea how to make a fist and ended up breaking my thumb but they left us alone the rest of the week.”

“Ya’ wrapped your fingers around yer thumb, didn’t ya’?” Scotty asked. 

Elise nodded. “I didn’t make that mistake twice.” She glanced towards the door and froze. “Uh oh. I’m in trouble.”

I turned to see what she was staring at and spotted Uhura walking in the door. She looked around the room for a second before spotting Elise. With an air of anger, Uhura moved through the crowd like a cold gust of wind, people scurrying out of her way. 

“Damn it, Elise. You’ve had me worried sick!” she snapped. “Get off the table.”

Elise groaned, letting her head fall back and hit the wall. “I’m fine. I’m with these guys.”

“Hey,” I said, giving her a wave. Scotty nodded at her. 

“Yeah, hi. Elise, down. Now.”

Elise started to scoot to the edge of the table, ready to launch herself off to the ground. I jumped out of my chair, stopping her. 

“Damn it, woman, you’re going to kill yourself.” I put my hands on her hips, steadying her and ignoring the way my heart picked up its pace. “Put your hands on my shoulders so I can help you down.”

She did as I said and held on as I lowered her down to the ground. As soon as she had her feet under her, I let go and stepped away.

Uhura continued to glare at Elise. “Go to the bar and get some water from Andi. I will be there in a second.”

Once Elise was out of earshot, Uhura turned on Scotty and I.

“What is wrong with you? You are seriously encouraging her to drink? Do you know how many times this week I’ve had to come here and drag her home?”

“Wow, slow down,” I said. “She was here when we got here. And Jim was the one ‘encouraging’ her to drink. He decided we all needed to celebrate since she’s joining Starfleet. So if you want to yell at someone, go find-”

“She agreed?” Uhura asked, cutting me off. Her glare had been replaced by a look of surprise. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. If you’re mad, it was Scotty’s fault. If you’re happy, then I’m the one who convinced her,” I said.

“Hey!” Scotty snapped. “I’m the one who got her to agree!”

Uhura shook her head and smiled slightly. “I’ve been trying to talk her into it ever since she told me you guys wanted her to join. And then she has one conversation with a drunk Scotsman and she’s convinced. Unbelievable.”

“I wasn’t drunk yet, mind you.”

“Regardless, thank you,” Uhura said. “McCoy, once she’s approved for the Enterprise, send her all the paperwork she needs to fill out. I’ll help her get through it all.”

“Got it. Jim still needs to get approval so it may be a few days.”

“That’s fine. I’m going to get her home now before she does something stupid.”

Elise came bounding back at that moment, a half empty water bottle in her hand and an oversized jacket in the other.

“Look! Andi found it!” she crowed, showing Uhura the jacket.

“Oh God, I’d hoped that thing was gone forever,” Uhura said under her breath. She gave Elise a smile. “That’s great, El. How about you put that on?”

Elise handed the water bottle to Uhura while she struggled into the jacket. It was too big on her, the sleeves falling past her hands and the hem laying far below her hips. While it was ugly, the light green corduroy material looked soft and comfortable. In the end, I didn’t blame her for wearing it. 

She pushed the sleeves back to free her hands before taking the water bottle from Uhura. Elise twisted the lid off, which Uhura promptly took and put in her pocket before Elise could drop it. Clutching the bottle between both her hands, Elise started chugging the water. When she stopped to take a breath, she gave Uhura a big smile. 

“See? I did what you said. Now you can’t be mad at me.”

“No, I can be mad at you. You’ve stayed out all night drinking and had me worried sick. Come on, I’m taking you home.”

Elise looked over her shoulder and mumbled something about wanting to say goodbye to Jim but Uhura stopped her.

“He’s a bit preoccupied right now. Just say bye to McCoy and Scotty.”

Elise nodded once before lunging at Scotty and pulling him down to hug him. The last of her water spilled on the floor. 

“Bye Scotty! Thank you for helping me decide.” Elise leaned back, still holding onto him. “You’re so great, you know that?”

“Shit, she’s gone into her lovey stage,” Uhura whispered to me. “She always does this. She starts out happy and goofy, turns lovey, and then either goes to sleep or gets sick.”

“She’s been like this. She and Jim decided they were best friends already. Do you need me to break up the love-fest? Because I can.”

“Best to let it run its course,” Uhura laughed. “Thanks for the offer though.”

Once Elise had finished telling Scotty what a nice and funny person he was, she turned on me. She snaked her arms around my middle and pressed her head against my chest nuzzling into me. 

I kept my arms at my sides. While I was definitely uncomfortable with what was going on, I also found myself wanting to hug her back. I knew better than to act on that impulse though. I couldn’t let myself get attached to her, let alone have feelings. 

My last few relationships went horribly wrong. I couldn’t let anything like that happen between me and a coworker, especially when we’d both be stuck together in a flying metal frisbee for 5 years. 

“You’re the best, Lenny. Did you know that?” she asked. 

“Don’t call me Lenny.”

“Okay.” Elise wasn’t even phased by my gruff attitude. “You’re so nice. Without you I wouldn’t be going into space. Thank you.” She squeezed me tighter before letting go and smiling up at me, her big hazel eyes sparkling. 

I struggled to find words. “Uh, you’re welcome, I guess.”

“I like space,” she said distractedly. “It’s got stars and stuff. They’re so cool. You know who else is cool? You are, cowboy. You be good, okay?”

“Sure thing, kid.”

Elise reached up and patted my cheek gently. Then, without another word, she trotted off towards the door. 

“Jeez, Elise, slow down!” Uhura said, starting after her. She waved a quick goodbye to us and went to chase down the drunk woman. 

“That Elise is an odd one,” Scotty said, watching them leave.

“I hope she doesn’t remember all of that. She’d be so embarrassed.”


	12. Don't Throw Up On ME

Leonard

Elise and I didn’t see each other in the weeks leading up to the Enterprise’s launch. We were both too busy. 

After Elise had been approved to join the Enterprise crew, she had to start making arrangements for her things on Earth. When I had messaged her to see how she was a week after her reinstatement, she’d told me that’d she’d been working on training the person who was hired to replace her at her job. Elise had also been selling off her things and packing the belongings she was to bring with her. The cabins weren’t very large so she couldn’t bring much. 

When the day finally came for the launch, I got up early to go to the shuttle docks. I tried calling Jim multiple times on his comm but he never picked up. I assumed he was already there and helping to keep things running smoothly. 

As I walked through the crowd, doing my best to avoid getting knocked around by the hustling people, I spotted Spock speaking with an older Vulcan. I pulled up short, surprised Spock was even here. For a split second I wondered if he was here to find Elise or Uhura. I shook that idea off. He was probably just here to complete his duties before officially being retired from Starfleet. 

The other Vulcan made the same gesture that Spock had made at Elise’s apartment. Spock returned it and the two split apart. I considered following Spock to berate him about how he treated Elise and Uhura. Before I could decide if it was worth it, I heard an angry voice off to my right.

“I’ve told you! All luggage goes in the undercarriage. You can not take it on the shuttle with you.”

I looked over and saw one of the shuttle pilots arguing with a woman. With her back turned towards me, I couldn’t tell who she was. She wore jeans and an oversized corduroy jacket instead of the grey dress uniforms everyone else was wearing. Her wavy brown hair hung just above her shoulders, the strands blowing in the slight breeze. I watched as she took a step back, pulling on the bag that the pilot held onto. Both the jacket and the blue backpack looked familiar but I couldn't place where I had seen them before.

“Listen here, flyboy. There is expensive and fragile medical equipment in this bag. They need to be kept in a temperature regulated, pressurized cabin. If they go in the undercarriage they will break and will be useless. So for the last time, the bag is staying with me.” 

It clicked in my mind. I knew where I’d seen that bag and that jacket. They were Elise’s.

Forgetting about Spock. I bobbed and weaved my way up to Elise’s side and put on the same look I had when I tricked that pilot into letting me board the shuttle with Jimin tow. 

“What the hell is going on here?” I snapped, coming up behind Elise. She jumped and turned her head to look over her shoulder, still clutching tightly to the straps of her backpack. 

A slight dusting of silvery powder was brushed across her eyelids along with a thin black line of eyeliner right at the base of her long, dark eyelashes.  Her lips looked full and pink, a shimmer to them. Choppy layers framed her face, just skimming across her cheeks. She blinked at me a few times, her eyes flicking over me, before finally answering.

“Dr. McCoy! Thank god you’re here. This man is insisting that this medical equipment has to be stored in the undercarriage with the rest of the luggage. He doesn’t seem to grasp that they can not be exposed to the harsh environments of space.”

“And she doesn’t seem to grasp that all the medical equipment is already on the Enterprise and that whatever she is trying to sneak on board will be fine in the undercarriage along with everyone else’s contraband.” The pilot yanked on the bag again, causing Elise to stumble forward a step. She bared her teeth and held on tightly to the backpack. 

“Stop that! You’ll break something!” she snapped. 

I glared at the pilot, my anger rising. “She actually is carrying medical equipment. Dr. Manning, who just so happens to be the second highest ranked medical officer on the Enterprise, was personally asked by Captain Kirk and me to transport these fragile medical tools that were supposed to be loaded on the Enterprise, but weren’t. If you have an issue with that, then bring it up with me or the Captain, not with Dr. Manning.”

I took hold of the bag and pulled it away from the pilot, all the while staring him down. As I helped Elise put the bag on her back, the pilot looked at us sheepishly. 

“Sorry, sir,” he said. “I wasn’t aware.”

“Next time, just do as she says, got it?” I snapped.

I gestured for Elise to get on the shuttle ahead of me. She gave me a grateful smile. 

Normally on shuttle trips I would ride with Jim. But seeing as I had no idea where he was and Elise was already having issues with other crewmen, I decided to board the shuttle with her. I figured we could keep each other company during the flight. 

As I went up the steps behind her, I leaned in and whispered, “Nice haircut. Suits you.”

I couldn’t see her face but I could have sworn her ears turned red, almost like she was blushing.

She slide into a row that had only two seats. She took the one by the window, which I was glad of. I didn’t need to look out at the Earth as it became smaller and smaller during take off. Besides, I was taller. If I had the aisle seat, I could stretch my legs out a little more. 

Elise struggled buckling herself in. She tried to balance her bag on her lap while trying to clip the different buckles of the harness style seatbelt. I already had my belts done so I took her bag, freeing up her hands. Once she was situated, I handed the bag back. Elise clutched it tightly to her chest.

“Thanks for the help back there,” she said.

“No problem. Not the first time I’ve lied to get things on board a shuttle.”

Elise snorted. “That is true. But still, it means a lot. I know it's dumb but these tools are really special to me. My old boss let me keep them. Said they were a gift for all the hard work I did for the company. I couldn’t leave them behind, you know?.”

“Don’t worry, I understand,” I told her. “We all get attached to our equipment after using it for a long time.”

She nodded, not saying anything. We sat quietly for a few minutes, her watching people through the window, me trying to ignore them.

“I feel so out of place without the uniform,” she said, glancing around the cabin at the sea of grey. Her green jacket stuck out like a sore thumb. “I don’t have my old one anymore. Apparently they’ll be a new one along with the rest of my uniforms in my cabin.”

“Don’t worry about it, kid. First time Jim and I rode on a Starfleet shuttle, everyone was in their cadet uniforms and the two of us weren’t. He had his own blood on his shirt and I reeked of whiskey. You’re already fairing better than we were.” 

Seeing the pilot stepping on the shuttle, I sat back in my seat preparing myself mentally for take off. I tried to block out the rising panic when Elise spoke.

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

I was caught off guard. Not looking at her, instead choosing to stare at the ceiling and push down the nausea as the shuttle rumbled to life. 

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“You keep calling me ‘kid.’ I’m not that much younger than you,” she said.

That made me chuckle. “You are seriously underestimating my age.”

“Or you’re underestimating mine. I’m only about 2 years younger than Spock.”

“And I’m probably 4 or 5 years older than him. I take it back, it's probably more than that. He looks pretty young.” 

The shuttle took off. My stomach lurched as we lifted off the ground. Not meaning to, I grabbed the armrest between Elise and I, digging my nails into it as I closed my eyes. A small groan sounded from somewhere deep in my chest.

A small, cold hand touched mine. Elise pressed her palm to the back of my hand, dragging her thumb across my knuckles. I focused in on her touch to distract myself from the fact I was in a flying tin can that could kill us all.

Elise

McCoy had been getting antsy ever since the pilot had stepped on board. I watched as he shifted around and tried to focus on anything besides us taking off. I tried to keep him distracted, hoping it would help. It seemed to for a short time. I even got him to laugh a little.

“You are seriously underestimating my age,” he said, a slight smile on his face despite his furrowed and worried brows.

“Or you’re underestimating mine,” I countered. “I’m only about 2 years younger than Spock.”

“And I’m probably 4 or 5 years older than him. I take it back, it's probably more than that. He looks pretty young.” 

I thought he was about to say more. If he was, he was silenced as the shuttle lifted off the ground and started to move. His eyes shut as he dug his nails into the armrest between us. A sound somewhere between a whimper and a moan slipped from between his clenched teeth. 

Without thinking, I took his hand. I drew patterns on his knuckles, squeezing his rough hand slightly. He sat there, stiff as a board, eyes closed and back flat to the seat. 

“Well, let’s figure this out. How old are you?” I asked, deciding that distracting him may be my best option.

He waited a moment to answer, grinding his teeth. Taking a shaky breath, he answered. “I’m 29. 30 next month.”

“Okay, you were about right with your guess. You’re roughly 4 years older than Spock.”

“He’s 25? Same as Jim?” McCoy asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. 

“Yeah,” I said, giving his hand a light squeeze as we hit some turbulence. “But he’ll be 26 in a few months.”

“That makes you, what, 23? 24?”

“Just turned 24, yeah.”

“Jesus Christ,” he said. “You’re practically a child. How old were you when you got your doctorate?”

“I don’t know, 21? 22? I graduated about 3 years ago.”

“You’re just making me feel old, kid.” McCoy groaned. “It’s like that Chekov kid all over again.”

“Pavel Chekov? I know him! We had a class together. He’s such a sweetheart.” I said, thinking back to my academy days. 

I met him during my last year. I remember going in to class, some advanced math course that I dreaded going to so I’d pushed it off until my final year, and seeing a young boy sitting in the front row. The other students were talking amongst themselves, ignoring him. No one was sitting near him, instead they all gravitated to the back of the room. That was normal for all my classes. 

Very few wanted to sit in the front. I just so happened to be one of the few.

I sat down next to the kid and smiled at him. “Hi there,” I said. “I’m Elise.”

“Pavel Chekov, ma’am,” he said, his accent thick. 

“You don’t need to call me ma’am. So is this your first year at the academy?” I asked.

“No, this is my second.”

That startled me. “Really? I’m sorry if this is rude but, if I may ask, how old are you?”

“I am 15,” he said proudly. “I have 2 more years until I graduate.”

After that, I decided to keep an eye on him during the class. I knew he was smart enough to keep up with the lessons; that wasn’t what I was worried about. I was worried about how the other students treated him. 

For the most part, they left him alone. He spent his time studying and would occasionally tutor me. We never had any classes together after that but we would wave at each other if we happened to pass in a hall. 

McCoy interrupted my reminiscing. “Yeah, well, he’ll be on the Enterprise. Freaky child genius works on the bridge.”

I slapped his arm. Not hard, but enough to startle him. 

“Be nice to Pavel. He’s one of the kindest people I have ever met,” I scolded him. 

“I am being nice. Just wait until you see me be mean to someone.”

Snorting, I said, “You may act tough but you’re a softy deep down. I can tell.” 

I turned to look out the window and froze. We were approaching the space station that the starships docked at. There was only one ship there now but regardless, the station was amazing. It was probably the largest manmade structure I had ever seen. It looked almost like a wheel. There was one central hub with branches coming out from it in a ring. At the end of those was another hub, this one smaller, and the starships docked at those. The starship that was docked, which was massive, were dwarfed by this station. 

“Oh my God,” I whispered, leaning closer to the window. I felt McCoy shift next to me, leaning over the armrest to look out the window. 

“You should have seen it when all the ships were here. It was something else, I’ll tell you that,” he said. 

“I think it's amazing just as it is.” I glanced over at him and watched him watch the station. 

I had to admit, the dress uniform suited him. When he showed up to rescue me from the aggressive pilot, I couldn’t help my wandering eyes. Then, flying in the shuttle, the pale light filtering through the window onto his face, his features looked sharper and and even manlier than before. His hair was a little messy but for the most part he had gotten it to lie down. He’d shaved, leaving his face clean and smooth. While he still had a slightly green tint to him, there was something in his eyes that said he was excited. He looked over, catching me looking at him. 

“What?” McCoy asked. “Do I have something on my face?”

“No, I’m just watching to make sure you don’t throw up on my lap,” I said, thinking fast. 

He rolled his eyes and sat back in his seat. “Brat.”

I went back to looking out the window, watching as the shuttle approached the Enterprise. My hands started to shake. My heartbeat picked up, my excitement building. 

I was in space. I was among the stars. This was actually happening. 

A lump formed in my throat. I blinked back the tears in my eyes before anyone could notice. I took a quick breath and smiled at McCoy as the shuttle landed in the Enterprise receiving bay. 

“We’re here. See, that wasn’t so bad,” I told him.

“Yeah, and now we’re on a bigger flying death trap.”

We filtered out of the shuttle with the rest of the crewmen. Once we got off the steps, McCoy leaned down to talk into my ear, the noise in the bay too loud to be clearly heard over.

“Go get changed and head to the medbay. You’ll want to get settled. Jim wants me on the bridge for the launch so I need you to get the medical staff to focus on getting everything set up.”

I nodded. “Got it. Give Jim my love.”

“Whatever.”


	13. Punch It

Leonard

I changed from my dress uniform to the standard blue shirt and black pants; the uniform I would be wearing for the next 5 years.

Jim bounced around the bridge, checking in with all the stations to make sure we were ready. More than once Uhura had to tell him to calm down. 

Just before we were scheduled to launch, a familiar face stepped onto the bridge dressed fully in a Starfleet uniform.

Spock. 

He and Jim had a hushed conversation for a moment before Jim smiled and clapped his shoulder. Spock blinked in confusion, then went to the science officer’s station. Uhura blatantly stared at him from her own seat.

Glaring at the back of the Vulcan’s head, I made a beeline to Jim. 

“What’s the hobgoblin doing here?” I asked. 

“He’s my First Officer. Told you we’d get him back on board.”

Jim turned to leave but I caught his arm, stopping him. “Yeah, great idea. And what about Uhura and Elise? They’re going to be pissed as hell.”

“Uhura doesn’t seem to be.”

He gestured past me. When I turned around, I saw Uhura leaning on the science station, talking to Spock and smiling, her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her with the slightest smile on his face. 

“Well, goody for them. Won’t be as easy with Elise. I swear to God, Jim, if you bringing him on this ship causes Elise to request a transfer, I will be pissed. I’m short staffed as it is and I can’t afford to lose a doctor.”

Jim gave me a look of disbelief. “Sure, that’s the only reason. It has nothing to do with her pretty face.” He pulled his arm out of my hand and started to back away. “It’ll all work out, don’t worry!”

Huffing, I marched myself over to Spock, ignoring Uhura’s questioning look. I bent down so I was eye level with him.

“As soon as we’ve launched and you’re not needed here, you’re coming to the medbay,” I growled.

“Doctor, I am in perfect health and in no need of any vaccinations. I do not see a reason for me to undergo a medical examination.”

“That’s not why you’re going.”

Everything clicked for Uhura. One of her hands came up to cover her mouth, silencing her small gasp. “Shit,” she whispered. “Elise.”

I straightened and pointed a finger at her. “Bingo. You’re green blooded boyfriend here has some apologies to make.”

Spock looked back and forth between us, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “I have every intention of contacting my cousin once my shift is over so as to make amends. I don’t see why I need to go to the medbay immediately after launch to comm her.”

“Don’t worry. You won’t need to use a comm. She’s here. On board. Elise is a senior medical officer here on the Enterprise and I’m not going to let some pointy eared asshole chase her off. You’re going to go down there and grovel until you two have made up and she agrees to stay on this damn ship, understand?” I said. I found myself leaning over him, looking down to glare at him. “Like I told Jim, we are short staffed in the medbay and I can’t afford for any of my team to be transferred.”

Spock continued to blink at me, processing everything I just said. In a shaky voice, he asked. “Elise has been reinstated as a Starfleet officer?”

“That’s what I just said.”

“Kirk, McCoy, and Scotty convinced her,” Uhura told him. “I helped a little but they were the three that really changed her mind.”

He nodded, a pensive look on his face. “I thank you, doctor, for doing what I could not. I believe that this change in career will benefit my cousin. Once we have launched, I will accompany you to the medbay.”

Sulu cleared us for take off. Jim sat down in the Captain’s chair, sitting back and making himself comfortable. A grin played at his lips as he looked forward. 

“Punch it,” he said, giving Sulu the go ahead.

With the smallest of lurches, we were off. 

I waited on the bridge until Spock had finished with a few things at the science station. Once he was sure that the ship was in stable condition, he stood and nodded at me. 

“I’ll return him in a minute,” I told Jim. 

He looked at me, a knowing look in his eye. “Don’t let her kill him. I don’t want to have to replace my First Officer so soon.”

I rolled my eyes and stalked off, ready to get this nightmare over with. 

Spock didn’t try to make any conversation as we made our way through the ship to the medbay. I was glad of it; I wasn’t in the mood for his nonsense. The halls were crowded as the crew bustled between stations. They kept a wide berth around Spock and I. The two of us cut a path straight down the center of the hall all the way to the medbay. When the door swished open, I was surprised to find everyone looking at one of the examination tables, a look of pure delight on their faces as they repressed their laughter. I could see a woman’s lower half poking out from beneath the table, her upper half hidden by the table’s stand and the various equipment attached to it. From beneath the table, I could hear Scotty’s voice, a slightly metallic quality to it. I knew right away that he was talking to the woman through a comm. He babbled away at her about respect, his accent thick.

Just by the door was Christine Chapel, one of the few nurses who actually seemed to like me. She was smiling, watching the scene before her. 

I leaned over and whispered, “What’s going on?”

“The table isn’t working right. Dr. Manning is trying to get someone to come fix it. The Chief Engineer told her he couldn’t send anyone right now and then they started arguing. It’s been going on for about 5 minutes now.”

“You’re so full of shit, Scotty,” Elise said from her spot beneath the table. “You can spare someone to come here and take care of this.”

“We’re all busy!”

“I’ll keep that in mind when one of your crewmen gets hurt. ‘Oh sorry, Mr. Scott. The medical team is busy right now and we can’t help you. Best deal with it yourself.’ If you won’t send someone to fix it then tell me how to do it myself.”

“I can’t do that! I have no idea what’s wrong with it,” he snapped. “I can’t diagnose the issue over a comm just like you can’t diagnose someone without seeing them.”

“Yes I can. I can do it right now to prove it. Based off of your symptoms, I am diagnosing you as an asshole.”

He scoffed, though I did hear a chuckle as well. “Real mature, lassie. Still can’t help you. Unless it’s an emergency, you’re gonna have to wait until I have some time to spare.”

“An emergency?” she asked. “Like if some of the screws went missing and the table top separated from the stand.”

“Is that the issue?”

“If I say yes, will you get here faster?”

“I’m starting to think you just want to see me. Is that the case? You saw my amazing pool skills and now you can’t get enough of me?” Scotty laughed, a suggestive tone to his voice. 

Suddenly, with no warning, the examination table flipped backwards off its stand, crashing to the ground. Elise stood up from behind it. I saw her slip something into her pocket as she brushed off her dress.

“What in the bloody hell was that?” Scotty yelled.

“Table broke. Separated from the stand. So unfortunate,” Elise said. Her wide smile and gentle laugh were contagious. Half of the medical staff was snickering and holding back their laughter so as to hear what was said next. “But, seeing as it is now an emergency and safety hazard, could you send someone to fix it? And while they’re here, they can take a look at the motor and figure out why my tilting examination table won’t tilt.”

“You’re insane, ya’ know that?” Scotty said. “I’ll be there in just a minute.”

“Great, thanks!” She flipped the communicator closed and set it on the counter next to her. She turned to one of the other doctor’s, a man named Lorn Prince, and smiled at him. “Once they fix the table, your examination space will be in perfect condition.”

He grinned at her, his eyes glittering. “Thank you, doctor. I’m glad you stepped in. I think he would have just hung up on me.”

“It’s no trouble. Besides, it was fun messing with Scotty.”

Everyone went back to what they were doing, a new energy in the group as they chattered and laughed. It seemed that Elise’s antics had helped people bond and relax.

Who knew watching someone harass a coworker would be a team building experience? Go figure. 

Spock led the way to Elise, who had her back to us. She and Dr. Prince were still talking. The two laughed about something just before Dr. Prince saw Spock and I approaching. 

“Dr. McCoy, Commander, what can we do for you?” he asked.

Elise turned around, a big smile on her face still and laugh lines by her eyes. As soon as she spotted Spock, her face fell. The smile flattened and her eyes dulled. She straightened herself to her full height, squaring her shoulders as she did so. It was like a new person was standing before me. The look she gave Spock was cold and calculated. 

“We need to talk to Dr. Manning. Elise, could you come to my office please?” I asked her. 

She gave a curt nod and marched off to the small office in the back of the medbay. Inside, she stood close to the wall, avoiding the chair or the desk.  Spock stayed by the door while I stepped in and leaned against the edge of the desk. We waited until the door was closed before anyone spoke.

“What is going on here?” Elise asked. She kept her hazel eyes fixed on me, ignoring Spock.

“I was on the bridge for the launch when I noticed Spock skulking around. I asked Jim what he was doing here and it turns out he is staying with Starfleet and is the First Officer of the Enterprise. I told Spock he had to come here and talk to you before he did anything else. So, Commander, have anything you’d like to say?” I turned my attention on Spock. 

The Vulcan’s expression was unreadable. He was looking at Elise, his hands folded behind his back. I waited for him to apologize to her like I told him to.

“It is against Starfleet regulation to purposely break equipment during non-emergencies.”

“You damn hobgoblin!” I snapped at him. “That is not what you were supposed to say.”

Elise didn’t seem to hear me. If she did, she didn’t react. “Yes, I am aware that one can not purposely break equipment,” she said. Her voice was icy, her eyes hard. “There is nothing that states that one cannot deconstruct the equipment. Seeing as the table is not broken, besides the motor failure that was not caused by any crewmen, no regulations were violated.”

Spock nodded. “I see. A ‘loophole,’ as you call them.” He paused. “You’ve cut your hair.”

“Could you stop stating facts?” I grumbled. They both continued to ignore me.

“An opponent could easily grab long hair. In a combative situation, shorter hair is the safer and logical option.”

“Does this mean you have been fighting again?” Spock asked her. 

“I do not believe my personal life is of any concern to you seeing as it is not affecting my ability to perform my job,” Elise said. There was an edge to her voice. I could tell she was doing all she could to stay calm. She turned away from Spock to speak to me. “Scotty will be here soon to repair the examination table. I would like to be there to assist him. Could I be excused, Dr. McCoy?”

“Sure, kid. You’re free to go.”

As soon as I gave the go ahead, she was gone. Elise bolted straight out the door without a backwards glance. 

“Nice going, Spock. You did the exact opposite of what I asked. Let’s just hope she doesn’t ask for a transfer. Wouldn’t that look great on the records. Not even a day in and the Enterprise is having staffing issues.”

“My apologies, Dr. McCoy,” Spock said. “I was in such a state of shock at seeing my cousin here that I acted in a way that I should not have. I will speak with Elise and apologize.”

“You better,” I told him. “You better think of a way to make it up to her. You probably just made it worse. On the bright side though, she’s still wearing that bracelet you gave her.”

“She told you about that.”

“Yeah, after she got drunk. Might want to talk to Uhura about what Elise has gone through before you try to make amends. Things have been hard on the kid..” I led Spock out of my office. The two of us stopped just outside the door and watched as Elise and Scotty worked to fix the examination table. There was something about the way she held herself that made it clear she was upset. Scotty kept glancing at her out of the side of his eye, concern plain on his face. 

He tried to ask her what was wrong. The only answer he got was her jerking her head towards Spock and I. When Scotty saw Spock, he nodded and whispered something to Elise. She snorted and repressed a smile, all the while he grinned widely. The two bent down and lifted the table top back onto the stand. Elise held it in place while Scotty put the bolts back in.

“Her uniform is an immodest length,” Spock commented. “Perhaps I should speak with Lieutenant Uhura about having new dresses replicated for Elise.”

“Seriously? You’re going to get hung up that her dress is short? It’s just as short as Uhura’s and I don’t see you complaining.”

Spock eyebrows drew down. If I had to guess, I’d say that was his ‘frustrated’ look. “Lieutenant Uhura is not my cousin. As Elise’s last living relative, it is my duty to keep her safe and healthy. That means-”

“You’re being an overprotective ass, that’s what it means. She’s a grown woman. Let her choose what she wears. Now best get out of here and start figuring out how to make up with Elise because the tension between you two is already starting to annoy me.”

The following week, Elise avoided Spock at all costs. If she saw him coming, she’d do whatever she could to change directions. If she couldn’t, she’d keep her head down and speed past him, refusing to look at him.

Her entire demeanor changed when he was nearby. While in the medbay, she’d smile and talk with the everyone. She’d even crack jokes. As soon as Spock was nearby, any sign of emotion disappeared. Elise would straighten her back and let her face go blank. Her tone of voice changed from bubbly to calculated. Even the words she used changed. It got to the point that even Jim was starting to get worried. 

“I mean, neither of them have asked to leave the ship, which is a good sign, but I can’t have them avoiding each other. She’s a senior officer and will have to be in meetings and go on away missions with him. If they can’t get along, then that puts others at risk,” he told me one morning. He’d come to my quarters before our shifts started and thrown himself across the couch I had been furnished with. I poured him a coffee and placed it on the side table by his head. He sat up and took it. 

“They’ll work it out. Elise is probably still angry at him for being so ready and willing to abandon her. That, or she’s scared to trust him again.” I sat down opposite Jim and propped my feet on the coffee table between us. “I wouldn’t blame her. I don’t trust him or his weird eyebrows.”

“You’re so judgemental,” Jim said. “We need to just make them talk. I can just demand they do that, right? I’m Captain after all.”

“Elise will just pretend she’s made up with him when you’re looking and then when you aren’t, go back to how she’s been acting.”

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“I’ve been watching how the medical staff interacts and Elise floats between the different groups. In each one, she acts just a bit differently. She’s still herself but she’s playing up or playing down different parts of her personality. Elise is just one of those people who can blend into any group,” I explained. “She’d probably be good at negotiating. You should keep that in mind.”

“Sort of manipulative.”

“Rich coming from you. You manipulate people all the time to get what you want.” I took a sip from my coffee and wrinkled my nose. “This replicated stuff is shit.”

“I charm people, it’s different.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yeah, it’s really not.” Jim paused for a second. His eyebrows raised and he smiled. I knew that look. That’s the look he made when he had an idea. And I did not like it. 

“Whatever you’re thinking about doing, just don’t do it,” I scolded him. “Whatever it is, it's probably a bad idea.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just go to work.” Jim downed the last of his coffee and left before I could demand he tell me what he was planning.

“This won’t be good,” I grumbled, heading off to the medbay.

Elise

“Dr. Manning? Do you have a second?” Nurse Chapel asked. She stood beside my desk, a comm in her hand. “The Captain wants to speak to you.”

I set down the PADD I was holding and put out my hand for the comm. “Thank you,” I said, smiling at her. 

She nodded and left, leaving me to talk to Jim. 

“Dr. Manning speaking,” I said.

“Hey Elise, I need help. I messed up my shoulder and I don’t want McCoy to know that I got hurt within my first week of being Captain. He’ll never let me live it down. Could you come to my quarters and take a look at it for me?”

“Oh shit. Are you bleeding?” I asked, already on my feet. I felt the calm but intense feeling I always felt during emergencies wash over me. 

“No, but it hurts.”

“Okay, what do I say to McCoy if he asks where I’m going?” I asked. 

“I’m sure you can sneak out. When you leave, hand the comm off to Nurse Chapel and I’ll talk to her about covering for you if McCoy is asking about you.”

“Alright, I’ll be there soon. Just hold tight, okay?”

“Got it.”

Grabbing a few tools off my desk, I slipped towards the door of the medbay. I handed off the comm to Chapel so Jim could talk to her. When McCoy wasn’t looking, I ducked out.

Kirk

“If Bones asks where Dr. Manning went, lie and say she went to the bathroom or that she had to run an errand or something,” I told Nurse Chapel.

“I can’t tell him that forever.”

“Okay, well, if he asks within the next 20 minutes, lie. After that, you can tell him that she went to my quarters because I needed help with my shoulder,” I instructed her.

“What’s going on, Captain? If your shoulder is hurt so badly that it’ll take over 20 minutes to heal, then maybe you need Dr. McCoy.”

“Uh… yeah… it’s pretty bad… Dr. Manning can handle it though.”

“Why do I have a feeling that you aren’t hurt?” she asked me.

“Captain? You called for me?” Spock said, coming through the already open door of my quarters. I inwardly cursed. I knew that his voice would be heard over the communicator.

“Is that Commander Spock?” Nurse Chapel asked. “What’s going on?”

“Just lie to Bones, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

Elise

I got to Jim’s quarters and knocked to let him know I was there. The door slid open and he smiled at me. 

“Hey there! Come in!” he said. Jim grabbed my arm and yanked me in only to jump out of the room, effectively forcing us to switch places. “Okay, you guys can come out when you’ve made up. Bye!” The door slid shut.

“Made up?” I questioned to myself. When I turned around, I saw to whom he was referring. 

Spock.

“Damn it, I am not in the mood for this,” I said. I marched myself over to the door and tapped on the pad beside it, instructing the door to open. Nothing happened. I tried again. Nothing.

“It appears the Captain has tricked us both,” Spock said. “I was unaware of his intentions. I apologize.”

“I’m going to kill him.”


	14. Allergies

Leonard

“Where the hell is Manning?” I yelled. 

I felt a bit bad when I saw a few people flinch at my voice. I wasn’t angry, even though that’s how it came off. It had been a while since I’d seen Elise and I was starting to grow concerned. Questions and worries ran through my head. 

_ Was she hurt? Was she resigning? Was she asking for a transfer? Was she off somewhere getting sick?  _

It was stupid to be so stressed, I knew that. I couldn’t help myself though. I felt like I had to look out for her. After all, I’m the one that told her to join the Enterprise crew.

I noticed Chapel look over at one of our view screens and tap it, bringing up the time. Then, she turned back to me.

“She’s with the Captain in his quarters. He called for her saying he’d hurt himself and needed help. That was 35 minutes ago though,” she told me. “I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t actually hurt though. Commander Spock was in the room with him.”

I groaned. “Damn it! You need to tell me these things! Alright, you guys keep everything running smoothly. I’m going to go save Manning from whatever idiocy Jim has dragged her into.”

I stalked off down the hall, fuming. I knew damn well that Jim was meddling in the situation between Spock and Elise and I knew that it was going to end poorly. When I finally got to the hall outside his cabin, I found Jim leaning on the wall beside his door. His head was bent while he tapped away on a PADD.

“Damn it, Jim. What have you done?” I snapped.

He jumped at my voice, nearly dropping the PADD. “How do you walk so quietly? Do I need to put a bell on you?”

“Where is Elise? I know she’s supposed to be here.”

“Ah.” Jim rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his. “Well, I may have locked her in my quarters with Spock.”

I could feel my blood pressure rising. “Why?”

“So that they’d make up! It’s taking longer than I expected though. I figured it’d be a max of 15 minutes.”

“Alright, open the door.”

It took a little bit of arguing to convince him to do as I said. Eventually, he folded. With a quick tap, he unlocked the door and it slid open with a quiet swish.

When we stepped in, we found Spock and Elise in the small sitting area. Elise was in one of the chairs, her feet propped on the coffee table, a PADD in her hands. Spock sat ramrod straight on the couch, his eyes glazed over and cast towards a wall. He looked up at Jim and I as we entered, a blank look on his face. He blinked a few times, becoming more aware of his surroundings.

“Ah, it seems we are being released,” Spock said, standing. 

“About time.” Elise stood as well. “We tried to tell you we were ready to be let out, Jim. I think you forgot the rooms are soundproof.”

“Does that mean you two made up?” Jim asked, his voice hopeful. 

Elise glared at him. “Yes. But we didn’t need your help with that. Next time, instead of locking two people in a room and running, maybe try sitting down with them and guiding the discussion. I think it would work a lot better.”

“There would have been a significant decrease in the amount of cursing,” Spock chimed in. “I believe Elise would have shown more restraint in the presence of others.”

“You still deserved it,” she said, a fond smile on her face.

He returned her smile with one of his own, though his was significantly smaller. “Yes, I did.”

“So what did you guys say? How did you work it out?” Kirk asked. “Come on, I want details.”

“I gave him a piece of my mind, he apologized, and then we sat here waiting to be let out. It was pretty simple, really.” Elise’s eyes flicked over to me, suspicion in their depths. “Were you in on this?”

“God no. I’m the reason he’s letting you to out.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Spock said. “We appreciate your help.”

“We sure do. By the way, Jim, I got onto your personal PADD and saw that you hacked and changed your medical records to look like you didn’t need your booster vaccines. I expect to see you in the medbay by this time tomorrow or I will come to the bridge and hypo you in front of everyone,” Elise said. She set the PADD down on the side table beside her and gave Jim a devious smirk. 

My head whipped to the side to look at Jim. “You did  _ what _ ?”

“Spock, you let her use my PADD?”

“I advised her not to take or use any of your belongings as it is against regulation. She then reminded me that it is against regulation to lock crewmen in a room without having a viable reason, such as to stop the spread of illness or to save lives. I stopped commenting on her actions.”

Elise’s smile only widened. “I also found your stash of junk food while I went through your stuff. I may or may not have eaten some of it.”

“Aw, come on. That’s not cool.”

Before I could berate Jim for skipping his vaccines, my comm chirped. I pulled it from my belt and answered. 

“McCoy here.”

“Dr. McCoy, it’s an emergency. A crewman in the engine room has collapsed. His throat is closing and he is struggling to breathe,” came the panicked voice of Nurse Chapel. “I don’t know what to do.”

“It sounds like an allergic reaction. Give him some medication.”

“Sir, he’s an Argisam. The entire species has no allergies.”

Elise’s eyes went wide. Without warning she snatched the communicator out of my hand.

“Did you just say Argisam?” she asked.

“Yes, Dr. Manning.”

Elise looked at me. “McCoy, we need to go. Now.” She was out the door in a heartbeat, yelling into the communicator. I followed after with Jim and Spock hot on my trail.

“My blue bag is hanging on a hook in the medbay. Call there and tell them to run the bag to your location. Lay the crewman on his back. Cushion his head and tilt it back, chin up, to help keep his airway clear. He is having an allergic reaction.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Elise snapped the comm closed and kept running.

“Allergic reaction?” I yelled. “What are you talking about?”

“I told Starfleet months ago!” she called back, just skirting around a group of science officers. “They didn’t tell anyone, those bastards!”

“Damn it, kid, answer the question!” I snapped.

Two security officers stepped out of a room directly into her path. Elise screamed at them. “Out of the way! Move!”

Panicked, they scurried backwards. Elise did not slow down as she flew past them. As she went around a corner, she stumbled and slammed into the opposite wall. I was about to ask if she was okay when she pushed off the wall and kept running to the elevator.

Jim, Spock, and I barely got in the elevator with her before the doors closed and we began our descent to the engine room. 

“Explain,” Jim said, panting heavily. 

Elise held her side, gasping and leaning against the wall. “After the Syianc flower was put on the endangered species list, labs created a synthetic version of its nectar to use in perfume and other scented products. During testing, it was found that some members of the Argisam species were allergic,” she explained. “The company I used to work for created medication, tools, and testing materials to help with this. Starfleet said they wanted more testing done on the products before using them on their starships but promised to tell their medical personnel about the possibility of their Argisam crewmates having this reaction.”

“They obviously didn’t,” I growled. “I don’t have anything on board to help him. I don’t even have the faintest idea on what to do.”

“That’s why I need my bag. I have everything we need,” Elise told me. “I’ll need your assistance but I’ll tell you what to do.”

“Assistance with what? Aren’t you just giving him medication?” Jim asked.

“It is likely that a medication will not take effect quickly enough to save the crewman,” Spock said. “I believe Elise plans on performing an operation of some kind to save his life.”

“Bingo,” she said. “We’re doing a trichotomy.”

The elevator doors slid open and Elise was flying out of them. I tore after her, yelling all the way.

“Argisam’s have plated necks! To get through the plates you’ll need a strong laser. Any laser powerful enough to get through the plates could cut and burn parts of their throat we don’t want cut!”

“I have a tool for it, Leonard, so just shut up and run!” Elise said, turning her head to yell at me over her shoulder. 

My stomach did a flip when she called me by my first name. 

_ “She’s never called me Leonard before. At least not sober,” _ I thought. I quickly shut those thoughts down and focused on the task at hand. We had a dying crewman to save.

Just as we skirted the last corner, a nurse came running up the side hall. Clutched in her hands was Elise’s backpack. 

Elise didn’t even slow down. She snagged the bag, yelled a quick thank you, and kept running. The nurse followed after, falling in beside me.

“What’s going on?” she asked between puffing breaths. “All I was told was to bring the bag.”

“Allergic reaction in an Argisam. First one I’ve ever seen. Manning knows what to do,” I told her. 

It wasn’t hard to find the crewman. A crowd had formed around him and the medical staff, blocking them from view.

“Out of the way!” Elise yelled as she approached, startling many of them. They parted, clearing a path for us. 

Elise dropped next to the crewman. His normally scaly green face was starting to turn an odd shade of purple. His black eyes bulged. His mouth open and closed like a fish out of water as he desperately tried to breathe. 

Something that looked similar to a PADD was shoved in my hands. It was thicker and heavier than any PADD I’d used. I noticed a clear chamber on one side but had no idea what it was for. The whole thing rattled as it was moved, like it was filled with something.

“Turn it on and search for a folder titled ‘Allergic Reactions,’” Elise told me, already digging through her bag again after having handed me the device. “Select that folder. Inside, find the file named ‘Synthetic Syianc Nectar.’ Select it. There will be a prompt asking if you want the hypo made. Select yes and wait.”

“What is this thing?” I asked as I did what she instructed.

“Medication PADD. It can mix and create various vaccines, medications, antivenoms, and more. Puts them in a vile for your hypo.”

Elise pulled what looked like a thin metal ring from her bag. She pressed a button and the ring broke into two. Gently, she clipped the two pieces back together around the crewman’s neck. She pressed a second button and the ring made a buzzing noise, constricting to fit snugly around his throat without cutting off blood or air flow. Once it had finished tightening, it lengthened, climbing up his neck and forming what looked like a neck brace. A thin, rectangular hole was left open over the lower part of his throat. It whirred gently and the crewman’s eyes closed.

“He’s sedated and ready for the trichotomy. Give me the status on the hypo,” Elise demanded. She didn’t look up at me. She was too busy opening a small box and readying the tools inside. “I can’t operate until I’ve given him the hypo. It takes at least 3 minutes to take affect and he’s already started to asphyxiate.”

Just as she spoke, the PADD in my hand chirped and a vial was deposited into the clear chamber The door of the chamber whizzed open and I snagged the vial out.

“Got it.” 

She handed the hypo to me right away. I prepped it and got down next to her. She helped me to push the crewman’s sleeve up enough for me to reach his lower bicep. I injected the medication and made to stand again only to be stopped by Elise.

“You’re not done. Be ready to hand me what I need.”

Elise pressed a sequence of buttons along the base of the neck brace. A hum started up and a light glowed red from the rectangular hole. Suddenly, there was a quick laser burst and two hooks popped out. The laser had cut clean through the plates and the skin, leaving an incision into the throat. The hooks held the incision open a small amount. It wasn’t enough to see very much but it’d have to do.

“There’s a scalpel in that box. Hand it to me,” Elise demanded while she snapped on a pair of gloves. I did as she asked. 

Delicately, she hovered over the crewman and reached into the incision with her scalpel. The gathered crowd held its breath, watching her work. There was a tension in the air that I had never seen before.

Everyone was terrified, yet fascinated. 

After making a small cut inside the throat she handed the scalpel back to me and asked for the tube needed to complete the trichotomy. Once the tube was in place, she pressed a button on the neck brace and the hooks released. She held the tube steady as two small pieces of metal slide into place over the rectangular hole. There was a notch cut into each one that fit snugly around the tube.

“Those will stop the bleeding and keep the tube in place. We need to get him to medbay and do a full examination,” Elise said. She sat back on her heels and pulled the gloves off. A determined look on her face. Together, we packed her tools while the nurses moved the crewman to a gurney and wheeled him towards the elevator. Once Elise was back on her feet, bag slung over one of her shoulders, she rounded on the crowd that was gathered.

“Which of you is using a Syianc scented product?” she asked, eyeing each of them. 

No one moved. Everyone shifted from foot to foot, looking at each other nervously. 

“No one is going to get in trouble,” Jim said. “We just want to know for the records.”

A beat later, a woman raised her hand. “I got a new perfume. It must have been that.”

Elise nodded once before turning to Jim. “You’ll need to make a ship wide announcement. Any Syianc scented product needs to be gotten rid of. Just being in the same room as someone who is using one of the products can send an Argisam into anaphalatic shock. In some cases, if an Argisam touched something that was touched earlier by someone who used a Syianc scented lotion or soap, they would have a violent allergic reaction.”

Jim’s eyes widened as his eyebrows shot up in shock. “It’s that serious?”

“It's that serious.”

“Alright,” he said. “I’ll get on that. I have to report this to the heads of Starfleet too, you know. They may want to talk to you.”

“You can use my office in the medbay to make the call,” I offered. “That way if they have any questions, all the doctors are nearby.”

Jim nodded. “Alright, that works. Spock, see that the engine room is scrubbed down. Wouldn’t want a repeat of this. Make the announcement and begin the collection of anything that has synthetic Syianc nectar in it.”

“Yes, Captain.”


	15. Regulation

Elise

“Hi,” a voice said behind me. 

I spun around and faced the bed behind me. There lay the crewman, his throat freshly healed.

“That sedative wore off fast, didn’t it?” I chuckled. I began examining him, checking for any sign of adverse side effects from the medication. “What’s your name?”

“Rinla. I’m Rinla.”

I gave him a smile. “Nice to meet you, Rinla. I’m Dr. Manning. How are you feeling?”

He snorted. “Better than I was. What happened?”

“You had an allergic reaction to synthetic Syianc nectar. Don’t worry, we’re already in the process of having it removed from the ship. Before you leave the medbay I’ll be giving you an emergency hypo. If you ever start to have a reaction again, use it on yourself and then get to a medical professional to be checked over. The hypo can only be used once so if you use it, be sure to get a new one.”

“Allergic? I can’t be allergic.” He tried to push my hand away as I raised a sensor to his face. I smacked his hand and pressed on.

“Well, you are. Word must be spreading slow. This synthetic nectar is the only thing your species can possibly be allergic to. I’d suggest you take some time to contact your family and telling them that they all need to get tested. It’s believed there is a genetic link to the allergy,” I told him. 

His dark eyes shined as he blinked at me. “Why didn’t Starfleet tell me before I left Earth? Why wasn’t I tested?”

“I don’t know. You’re lucky I had my personal tools on board. I just happened to have what we needed.”

Rinla tried to sit up, a panicked slant to his mouth. I put my hand on his shoulder and eased him back down. The whole time, he chattered away. “You mean there wasn’t anything in the medbay to help me? What if you hadn’t been here? I’d be dead! How could Starfleet not have at least the medication on board?”

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down. You’re okay. The Captain is already on a call to talk to the higher ups about properly furnishing the medbay with the tools they need.”

As if on cue, the door to Leonard’s private office opened. 

_ “Wait _ , _ ”  _ I thought.  _ “Since when do I call him Leonard? _ ”

“Dr. Manning, could you come in here please?” Jim called.

“One moment!”I tapped at the screen beside me, trying to pull up Rinla’s vitals. 

“I need you now, please.” There was an edge to Jim’s voice that I did not like. I did not like it at all.

I whipped my head to look at him, my hair fanning out as I turned. “I said I would be there in a moment or would you like to me stop my examination of a patient, who nearly died mere minutes ago by the way, and leave him at risk of undergoing another reaction without having the only qualified professional that knows how to take care of him nearby?” I spat at him. I knew it was rude. I knew I shouldn't talk to a Captain that way. But, damn it, I was busy and didn’t have time to go and be berated by some Admiral who had no idea what was going on. 

Jim blinked at me rapidly, his mouth hanging open in shock. With a snap, he closed it. “Um… yeah, take your time. I can wait.” The door slid shut as he stepped back into the office. 

Rinla chuckled and shook his head. “I can’t believe you talked to him like that. He’s going to be so mad.”

“Let him. I don’t demand he stop doing his job just because I want to talk to him. He can give me the same courtesy.” 

It took only a few moments before I confirmed that Rinla, though exhausted and in need of rest, was back to a normal, healthy condition. I instructed him to rest and placed a glass of water within his reach for if he got thirsty later. Only then did I go to Leonard’s office.

Leonard

“Um… yeah, take your time. I can wait,” Jim said. The doors slid closed as he stepped back into the room. “Bones, I think you’re starting to rub off on her.”

“Nah, she’s just doing her job.”

“Excuse me, Captain,” Admiral Lambert, who was on the view screen, said as he squinted at us. “Is your crewman showing insubordination? She refused to follow your order?”

“No, she was taking care of Crewman Rinla. He’s the one that nearly died from the allergic reaction. You know, the allergy that none of my medical staff had been made aware of,” Jim snapped. He stood taller, his hands folded behind his back. For a split second, he reminded me of Spock. That is, until you looked at his tanned face and saw the barely contained rage in his baby blue eyes. He seemed to quiver, he was so angry. 

“Captain, the medical staff was to be made aware in the coming months when the annual Starfleet Medical Journal was published. The new found allergy was to be included in an article that highlights the cause, the necessary precautions, and how to treat a Argisam patient who is having an allergic reaction. Then, once the medical staff was made aware of the condition, the opportunity to participate in training would be made available to them at their next shore leave. You have to understand-”

“It would take that long for them to get training?” Jim asked, cutting Lambert off. “People can die between now and then, do you realize that? You have been aware of this for some time, yet you haven’t taken any steps towards keeping any Argisam crewmember safe. We are lucky that this call isn’t about a fatality and how to tell his family.”

The door slid open then to reveal Elise. She looked tired. Her hair was in disarray, there were bags under her eyes, and I noticed she was slower, more subdued, when she walked instead of her normal, bubbly, bouncy steps. The stress of the day had finally caught up to her. I made a mental note to send her to her cabin to rest once this meeting was over.

“I apologize that it took me so long to join you all. I was in the middle of an examination,” she said. She took the seat next to me, choosing to sit instead of standing like Jim. 

“Dr. Manning. Thank you for finally joining us,” Admiral Lambert said, a sarcastic lilt to his voice. “This brings me to my next topic: your suspension and case evaluation.”

“What?!” Jim and I both yelled. I’d risen from my seat without even realizing. 

“She saved a God damn life today and you’re trying to punish her? You should be thanking her!” I growled.

Jim yelled at the screen. “This is ridiculous!”

“Guys, calm down,” Elise said, her voice even and tight. “Shouting won’t help us.”

“Thank you, Dr. Manning,” Lambert nodded towards her. “Gentlemen, she clearly knows she broke regulation. She knew what would happen when she used tools that were not approved by Starfleet.”

“Oh, I believe you are misunderstanding me, Admiral,” Elise said, halting him in his rant. “I am fully aware that regulation states that no Starfleet crewman can use non-approved medical devices on anyone in their care. But, regulation also states that in an emergency situation, improvisions can be used.”

“That was put in place for if while on an away mission or if stranded on a foreign planet, a crewman could use what they found in the terrain to attempt to save another’s life,” Lambert countered. 

“The regulation does not explicitly state that. I had an emergency on my hands, Admiral. I had a patient that was dying and the medbay had no medication and no tools that could be used to save his life. None of the other medical personnel had any knowledge of the condition either. I had no time to discuss the options or brainstorm a way to use or change the approved medical devices to suit our purposes. I had everything I needed to save his life, so I used what I had.” Elise finally stood, squaring her shoulders and tilting her chin up with a defiant look as she face the Admiral. “If you wish to suspend me, I can’t stop you. But I will insist on a trial to evaluate my case. I will refuse to let a private committee decide my fate. I want my say in the matter and a chance to defend myself not only to Starfleet but to the public.”

“And she will have the full support of Dr. McCoy and myself. I also believe she will have the support of Commander Spock, who is well versed in Starfleet regulation,” Jim said. His tone was consirably calmer. He looked less red in the face, even if his eyes were still hard and piercing. “I can’t speak for the rest of the crew but I believe others will rally behind her.”

“We’re one of the few functioning ships you have right now,” I said, addressing Lambert. “If you punished a woman for saving a life and doing her job, do you think it would help with recruiting? Think everyone would be lining up to get on one of these tin cans? No, they wouldn’t. They’d be scared that if they did the right thing, they’d be punished.”

“I’d hate to see Starfleet suffer because of one little fight with a doctor,” Jim added, seeing where I was going with this.

“Exactly. I think it's in everyone’s best interest that you drop this whole suspension thing. Manning did the right thing and you know it.”

The Admiral sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I was warned that Kirk would be difficult. I’d hoped that you would be more accommodating, Dr. McCoy.”

“He’s just as irritating as me, if not more so. He’s just quieter. That is, until you piss him off,” Jim said, a proud smile on his face. He nudged his shoulder against mine.

“Shut up, Jim,” I snapped.

“Fine, I’ll drop the suspension,” Lambert said. He dropped his hand heavily onto the desk before him. “If this went to trial, you’d win on a technicality. I’m probably a fool in thinking that you’d listen if I asked you to stop using the medical devices you brought on board with you, Dr. Manning. Am I correct?”

“Yes, that is correct. Though I can swear to you that they will only be used in emergency situations, just as regulation allows.”

“I see. Well, I believe this conversation has reached its end. Kirk, do try to control your crew,” Lambert looked Elise and I over. “You wouldn't want them to become too familiar with you. They’ll lose all respect for you.”

“I’ll do that as soon as Starfleet starts keeping my medical staff up to date on things they should know. Kirk out.” With that, Jim terminated the call.

Elise’s aggressive and confident front collapsed as she fell back into the chair. “Oh God, Spock is going to kill me. I can’t believe I talked to an Admiral like that.”

“Well, he was being an ass. He deserved it,” I countered. “Spock should be proud that you used the regulations to help you. He’s a stickler for the rules.”

“He’ll think it was clever but he’ll also be disappointed that I was disrespectful. Especially when I’m on such thin ice with Starfleet. I’m not exactly their favorite person.” She leaned forward and put her head in her hands. “Jesus, I’m stupid.”

“Knock it off. That’s an order. You did the right thing and that’s the end of it,” Jim said. “Go get some sleep. You look like hell.”

“Oh thanks, Jim. That’s a real confidence boost,” she snarked. I could hear a slight bit of humor in her voice though. “My shift isn’t over. I need to stay.”

“Kid, go get some rest. It’s okay,” I said.

“I told you to stop calling me that. I’m not that much younger than you, cowboy.” Elise sat back in her seat and smiled up at me, her eyes looking tired.

“Whatever. Go back to your quarters and sleep.”

“No. Thanks though.” Elise stood from the chair and trotted out of the room and back to her desk to continue on the research she’d abandoned when Jim had called for her earlier.

I snorted. “Maybe you’re right,” I said to Jim. “I might be rubbing off on her.”


	16. Rescue Mission

Elise

There aren’t many chances for a doctor to go on an away mission. A doctor isn’t really needed to collect plants and rocks. In the first months of our mission, a doctor was only needed once on an away mission and that was just to give medical examinations to some Starfleet officers who worked on a remote base on a tiny planet. 

Jim forced Leonard to go on that trip, much to the doctor’s dismay. He was terrified of the mission going terribly wrong. 

“Who knows what’s down there,” he complained. “I sure don’t. And neither does Jim. I swear, if he gets hurt or sick, or whatever else that could possibly happen, I will kill him.”

Thankfully, things went smoothly. Everyone returned in one piece without incident. 

I found myself craving a chance to go on an away mission. Not that I didn’t love the Enterprise; the ship had become my home. But I was stuck in a rut. I’d wake up, go to the medbay for my shift, go to the gym for a work out, and then sleep. I was bored. I needed a challenge. 

So when Jim and Spock burst into the medbay to demand a doctor go on a rescue mission to save some of our crewman, I volunteered right away.

“They went to collect some samples and we’ve lost all communication. We can’t even trace their signal. We’re going down to the planet’s surface to find them. We need you to come along in case any of them are hurt,” Jim explained while I packed some tools for the trip. I made sure to bring my medication PADD. I figured it could come in handy. 

I didn’t bring all of my personal tools. If a crewman was so hurt that I needed one of the tools I hadn’t brought, I’d just request that the crewman and I be beamed back on board the Enterprise.

I slung the small bag over my shoulder and smiled at Jim and Spock. “I’m all packed. Let me change out of my dress into some pants and I’ll meet you at the transporter room.”

“Got it. Here, give me the bag. You’ll move faster without it,” Jim took it from me and started to step back out of the medbay. “Move fast. We’re on a time crunch.”

I saluted him, winking at Spock. I caught a smile from my cousin. 

I started to hurry down the hall only to be stopped by a voice behind me.

“Manning! Manning! Damn it, Elise! Stop!” Leonard caught up to me. “Are you insane? You could get hurt going down onto that planet.”

“Walk and talk. I don’t have time to stand around.”

He followed after me as I headed towards my room. The whole way he was complaining about the dangers I faced.

“I can’t believe those two idiots are actually letting you go.”

I rolled my eyes. “Leonard, come on. You know I’m more than capable. What's the real reason you don’t want me to go?”

He paused. Leonard’s brows, which had been furrowed, relaxed ever so slightly and his face softened. The smallest smile crept onto his face. He chuckled lightly and then spoke. “I don’t want you to get hurt. I need you around here, kid.”

My stomach did a flip at his words. The phrase “ _ I need you _ ” kept repeating in my head, his gravelly voice replaying on a loop. Why was I doing that? Why was my heart pounding just from him looking at me so sweetly? I had to squash the fluttering feeling in my chest. 

“ _ There are people in danger. Stop thinking about Leonard, _ ” I told myself.

I forced myself to smile at him, keeping my face clear of feelings I didn’t yet understand. I patted his shoulder just as the door to my quarters opened. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine, you’ll see.”

Leonard

“You okay, McCoy?” Chapel asked, slipping into my office and letting the door close behind her. “You’re shift ended hours ago and you’ve been in here pouting ever since.”

“I’m not pouting. I’m just doing some extra work.”

“No you’re not. You’re hiding in your office and monitoring the away team’s signals,” she said, tapping at the PADD on my desk and sitting down opposite me. “I heard we lost contact. I think it’s sweet that you’re keeping your eye open for the signal to come back. You must really care.”

I scoffed. “Of course I care. I’ve known Jim for years. He’s family.”

Chapel shook her head, a smirk on her face. “Don’t be coy, you know I’m not talking about Jim. Come on, fess up.”

“What are you talking about?”

Her expression slipped. Chapel blinked at me, she opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again, a look of realization taking the confusion’s place. “Oh my God, you haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Stop it, Chapel. What are you getting at?” I growled. I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms. 

“Honestly, it's cute how oblivious you are,” she giggled.

Before I could demand to know what she was talking about, my comm chirped. I held up a finger to Chapel to get her to be quiet. 

I answered the comm. “McCoy here.”

“Ya’ need to get yer arse down ‘ere!” Scotty yelled, his accent thick and his voice panicked. “Elise is bleeding out on the damn floor of the transporter room!”

I didn’t bother to cut off the call. I just started barking orders.

“Chapel, get a gurney and meet me down there!” I was out the door of my office in a heartbeat and yelling at the nearest nurse. “I need a tricorder and a dermal regenerator! Now! Have everything I need for an operation ready by the time I get back!”

The tools were in my hands within seconds and I was sprinting to the transporter room.

Elise

Being attacked by a massive purple scorpion has never been on my list of things I wanted to do. But here I was, in a cave with Jim and Spock, face to face with a massive purple scorpion.

It wasn’t actually a scorpion, of course. It was just something that looked incredibly similar. It had more legs than a scorpion, that was the first noticeable difference after the size and color. When it opened its maw, rows of sharp fangs flashed as it screeched. The sound was so high pitched and loud, all three of us ducked and covered our ears, our eyes squeezed shut. 

When the creature reared up, kicking its front legs in a threatening display, I spotted the bodies of the crewman we were supposed to save.

All three were dead.

“Run!” Jim shouted, pushing me ahead of him towards the tunnel we had come through. 

Once we’d landed on the planet, we had followed the crewman’s trail to a mess of caverns and tunnels. It would have been impossible to follow their path through the maze if there hadn’t been luminescent moss on the rocky floors. Wherever we stepped, the fragile moss died and stopped glowing. The crewman’s footprints had led us to the den of this creature. The bad thing about the tunnels, beside the giant scorpion, was that they blocked our communicators’ signals. We were completely cut off from the Enterprise.

The three of us ran, trying to outpace the scorpion. All I could hear was the rushing of my blood in my ears, my ragged breathing, and the click of the scorpion’s legs as it scurried after us.

There was a thud and cry from behind me. I skidded to a stop, Jim nearly crashing into me.

“Spock!” I screamed, spotting my cousin lying on the ground, struggling to get back on his feet. Green blood trickled from a cut on his forehead from where he’d struck a rock. I dodged around Jim and ran to Spock.

I dropped down in front of him and grabbed at his arm. “Let’s go! We are not dying here!”

Spock got to his knees and was nearly on his feet when the scorpion rounded the corner and was upon us. 

I didn’t have time to warn Spock. Jim yelled something from behind me that I couldn’t hear or understand. I was too busy knocking Spock away.

The force of my shove knocked me onto my side. I rolled onto my back, facing the scorpion. It’s stinger was barrelling down on me with impressive speed.

I rolled, trying to avoid the attack. For a moment, I thought I had succeeded. Then my side started to burn. I didn’t have time to see what had happened; the scorpion was winding up to strike again.

Flashes of lights flew through the air hitting the beast’s side. It shrieked, turning to face Jim and his drawn phaser. A second flash flew through the air not far from me. Spock had drawn his own phaser. The two fired at the scorpion until it gave one last shriek and collapsed. Only then, when I knew the scorpion was dead, did I allow myself to examine my wound.

The stinger had grazed me just as I had rolled onto my side. The stinger has ripped straight through my shirt and had cut me from just below my navel and diagonally across to about an inch above my hip bone. My blue shirt was quickly becoming stained as my blood ran freely from the gash. 

Groaning, I press my hands into the wound, keeping pressure on it and hoping to slow the blood flow.

“Oh God, Elise,” Jim said, running over to me. “You’re hurt.”

“Obviously,” I bit out. I didn’t have the patience for throw away comments. “Someone get the stinger.”

Spock was moving before I evened finished the sentence, evidently already knowing what I was going to say. He pulled his phaser and began firing on the scorpion’s tail, trying to severe the stinger from the body.

“Jim,” I said through clenched teeth. “This is the one and only time I’ll say this but I need you to get my shirt off.”

He made a choking noise. “What?”

“We need to slow the bleeding. Get the shirt off. Now.”

Jim put one hand on my back and helped me to sit up. I suppressed the groan that threatened to slip from between my lips. He took hold of one of my sleeves and held it while I maneuvered my arm out. As gently as he could, Jim pulled that side of my shirt up and over my shoulder. I moved me free hand to my wound, switching the hands to keep the pressure on the deep cut. Jim helped to get the other sleeve off and got the shirt over my shoulder. He pulled the shirt over my head, leaving me only in my bra. Jim didn’t even blink at my near nakedness. He only stared at the blood smeared across my midsection.

“Fold the shirt as best you can,” I said. “I’m going to use it to soak up the blood.”

Once he handed the now folded and stained shirt back to me, I pressed it to my side and groaned as the rough cloth rubbed against the open wound.

Spock returned, the stinger in one arm and holstering his phaser with the other hand. He passed the stinger to Jim, who looked at it with disgust. Spock bent to place one arm under my knees and another around my back. With hardly any effort, he lifted me and cradled me against his chest. 

“It’s not safe to treat the wound here. Keep pressure on it, Elise. The entrance of the cave is not far. Once there, we can be beamed back to the ship,” he instructed. His face was blank of all emotion but I could tell he was panicking. His tense voice and tight grip on me gave it away.

Jim agreed and grabbed my bag while he carried the stinger.

Spock didn’t wait around for Jim. He was hustling me out of the cave as soon as he knew Jim didn’t need help.

“Should you be bleeding that much?” Jim asked, catching up to us and spying how my blood was seeping from around the edges of what used to be a blue shirt. Nearly my entire stomach was covered as were my hands and forearms. By being pressed into Spock’s front, my blood was staining his shirt as well.

“Probably not,” I said. A fresh wave of pain ran through me, causing me to cry out. Swallowing the my fear, I continued. “I think the venom is also a blood thinner.”

“Captain, I see the entrance of the tunnel,” Spock said, cutting me off. “I suggest you begin attempts to contact the Enterprise.”

Jim nodded and shifted the stinger around in his arms so he could reach his comm. He flipped it open and began trying to call the ship.

“Kirk to Enterprise. We have an emergency. Three to beam aboard. Does anyone copy? Hello? Enterprise?”

It wasn’t until we were in the mouth of the cave that we received a crackled reply.

“Captain? Is that you?” Scotty asked. 

“Scotty! Thank God! Elise is hurt, beam us up!”

“Right away,” Scotty said. 

There was a tugging sensation in the pit of my stomach and a tingling feeling in my limbs and suddenly, we were materializing on the ship.

Kirk

She was as pale as paper. Her lips had turned blue and her eyelids were starting to droop. Elise kept her hands pressed to her wound. It wasn’t doing much good. Her blood continued to run down her sides and was starting to drip onto the ground below us. Spock clutched her tightly, keeping her head tucked into his shoulder.

As soon as we were in the transporter room, Elise was barking orders.

“We don’t have time to get to the medbay. Spock, lay me down. Get my med-PADD.”

Spock did as he was told, rifling through her bag to find what she needed. As soon as he pulled it out, Elise told him to hand the bag to me.

“Jim, get gauze. Need to get something cleaner than this shirt to soak up the blood,” she choked out. Her teeth were gritted together, her eyes closed and head thrown back to rest on the ground. “Spock, select the venom and poison section. Choose unknown venom. Prepare hypo.”

“What will that do?” I asked as I got down to kneel at her side. “Move the shirt,” I instructed. As she pulled the shirt away, she grimaced from the way the cloth peeled from her skin. Once the shirt was out of the way, I pressed the gauze down on the wound. She hissed in pain as I put heavy pressure on her stomach.

“Helps with easing the symptoms of unknown venoms. Should work long enough for the antivenom to be made. That’s why we needed the stinger,” she explained. “After I give myself the hypo, I will pass out. Its normal. Always happens. Tell Leonard what happened and explain the hypo. There is pain medication mixed into it. Don’t let him give me more.”

“It’s ready,” Spock said, loading the vial into a hypo gun. She put out her hand for it and then waved me off of her. Pausing a moment, Elise steeled herself, taking a deep breath, and then she pressed the hypo into the skin just beside the wound. The familiar noise of a hypo being administered sounded and she relaxed slightly. Her eyelids fluttered and her hand fell away from her side. I hurried forward and pressed the gauze back into her side and put pressure back on the cut.

Just as Bones hit the door, Elise looked at Spock and smiled at him, a dreamy look in her hazel brown eyes. 

“Live long and prosper, cousin,” she mumbled out. Then, Elise’s eyes rolled back into her head and she went completely slack. 

Spock’s blank mask slipped as he clutched at Elise. “No, Elise. Don’t say goodbye. Not yet.”

Hearing Spock say that just sent me into a worse panic. I looked up at Bones for help. He wasn’t looking at me though; he only had eyes for Elise. Bones came flying up to us and pushed Spock out of the way, tricorder in hand. 

I’d never seen Bones look so scared before. In a way, he looked younger. His frown lines were gone and his eyes were watery and round as moons. He had stopped being guarded and was wearing his heart on his sleeve, something he usually only did when angry. When he spoke, his voice shook and cracked.

“What the hell happened?” he asked. When the tricorder made a high pitched noise and flashed some results on its little screen, Bones went from scared to terrified. “What did this?”

“Scorpion looking thing. We’ve got the stinger. She gave herself a hypo that’s supposed to help with the symptoms of unknown poisons but it won’t cure her. You need to make an antivenom,” I told him. “She said that the hypo had pain medication in it and not to give her more.”

“Yeah, I’d prefer she not OD!” he snapped. I knew there was no anger behind his words. I knew it was just fear getting the best of him. What I couldn’t place was why he was so scared. He’d seen worse injuries before. He didn’t even act like this when he lost patients.

Bones picked up a dermal regenerator and started it up. “Move your hands,” he said, pushing at my shoulder. “I’m going to close the cut and stop the bleeding. When I get her back to the medbay I’ll give her a full examination to look for internal injuries and I’ll make the antivenom.” 

He held the regenerator over Elise’s side and waited for it to start working. The little device hummed, just like it was supposed to, but her wound wasn’t closing. 

Nurse Chapel entered the room lugging a collapsed gurney behind her. When she saw Elise, she stumbled and gasped, her eyes fixed on the puddle of blood that was slowly spreading across the floor.

With a snarl, Bones sat back and smacked the regenerator against his hand. “Come on, damn it. Work!” He held it over her again and again. I couldn’t see it making a difference. “This is bad. This is very bad. Chapel, help me get her on the gurney. We need to get her to the medbay. I think the venom is slowing the healing process. I need something stronger than this regenerator. It’s not working fast enough.”

Spock and I scrambled to our feet while Nurse Chapel and Bones hefted Elise onto the gurney. Bones directed Chapel to keep pressure on Elise’s wound and he prepared to start moving the gurney. He spied Spock and I collecting Elise’s things and the stinger, preparing to follow him. 

Bones pointed a finger at us. “Give that stinger to Dr. Prince as soon as we get there, do you understand me?”

We nodded.

“Good. Let’s go.”


	17. Did I Kill Her?

Leonard

Elise’s head lolled to the side as we rushed her through the hall to the medbay. I was beside her at the front of the gurney, pulling her along. Chapel stayed at Elise’s side, making attempts to stop or slow the bleeding. Spock had grabbed the end of the gurney to push. With his Vulcan speed and strength, Chapel and I had to rush to keep up. Jim trailed behind clutching a disgusting purple stinger to his chest with his blood covered hands. He looked completely shell-shocked. He stared at Elise in horror as we turned the corner and rushed into the medbay.

“Make way!” Chapel shouted at the staff. Everyone cleared a path to an operation table in the back. Dr. Prince ran over to help. Before I could snap at him, Jim was blabbing away about needing an antivenom and handing off the blood smeared stinger. Prince looked somewhat mortified to be holding the thing but readily agreed to make an antivenom. 

Together, Chapel and I lifted Elise from the gurney to the operation table. I noted how light she felt in my hands. I felt my gut twist as I saw how limp she was.

“What happened to her shirt?” Chapel asked, already preparing a tray of tools for the operation. It was only then I noticed that Elise had on nothing from the waist up besides a bra. I didn’t have the time nor the want to gawk. All I cared about was saving her.

“She made me take it off her. She tried to use it to slow the bleeding,” Jim explained.

I didn’t bother commenting on what he said.“Get IVs in her. One for fluids and the other for a blood transfusion,” I demanded, looking at Chapel. “Get the wound cleaned out. I’m getting the regenerator ready.”

Chapel nodded. “Got it.”

I turned to start up the regenerator and nearly slammed into Spock. I grabbed his shoulders and spun him around. 

“Out. You can’t be in here,” I said, giving him a shove.

“She is my cousin. I need-” Spock started to argue.

“You need to stay out so I can do my job without having you breathing down my neck. Get someone to check your head. You’re bleeding everywhere.”

Once I was sure someone was taking care of him, I continued my preparations. By the time I had everything I needed, Chapel was just finishing cleaning out the gash. Chapel was holding gauze to it, trying to keep Elise’s blood from pouring out. 

“Leonard, you need to hurry. Her pulse is getting weaker,” she urged. 

“I’m doing my best,” I told her. I held the regenerator over Elise’s side and turned it on. A small light lit up, casting a red glow across her already red skin. For a moment, it looked like it wasn’t going to work either. Then, on my view screen just above the table, a blip spiked.

Her cells were dividing. She was healing. 

“Oh thank God,” Chapel said, bowing her head. “She’ll be okay.”

“We aren’t in the clear yet. Look.” I pointed at some bars on the screen. The marker was sliding down to the red zone “Start her on oxygen and begin to scan for internal bleeding.”

The regenerator worked slow, the venom fighting against it every step of the way. Chapel placed a mask over Elise’s nose and mouth and started a scan. The scan came back clean for internal bleeding, the regenerator having targeted it first, but she got a weird reading on her blood vessels. 

“They’re all dilated and I’m getting a reading that’s weird,” Chapel said, turning the screen to me. “It says she’s burnt.”

“Burnt?” I heard someone say behind me. “How is she burnt?”

I turned and saw both Jim and Spock standing there. Jim was focused on me while Spock looked past me to Elise.

“I told you to stay out!” I snapped. 

“My rule trumps yours,” Jim said.

“Not when I’m in an operation!”

“Leonard!” Chapel said, her voice shrill. I knew right away that something was wrong. 

Elise was trembling. Her entire body shook and her head rolled from side to side, like she was searching for something. I could see her eyes moving beneath their lids. Elise groaned and mumbled something incomprehensible.

I snagged the scanner from Chapel and held it above Elise’s head and waited for a result. With a beep, it told me what was going on.

“She’s having some sort of dream or hallucination. I have no idea what this venom is but it is nasty stuff,” I said. I passed the regenerator to Chapel. “Keep closing the wound. I’m going to figure out why we’re getting a reading for burns.”

“Her lungs,” Spock suggested. “She is struggling to breath even with the added oxygen. Examine her lungs.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” I said, realizing he had a point. I ran a scan over her lungs and found something odd. “Dear God. The venom is attacking the tissue of her alveoli. For lack of a better term, the venom is leaving chemical burns on them. Her body’s struggling to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide.”

“Don’t just stand there, Bones, do something!” Jim said. “Why aren’t you doing something?”

“I can try to use a regenerator on them but it won’t do much good unless I have the damn antivenom. We’re fighting an uphill battle here.”

As if on cue, Dr. Prince pushed between Jim and Spock with a vial in hand. “I managed to take a sample of the venom but our systems don’t seem to know what to do with it. It keeps claiming that I have more than one type of venom in the sample.”

“That’s explain why she’s having so many symptoms,” Chapel added, looking between Prince and I. “If the venom is a combination of multiple types, there would be a wide array of symptoms that aren’t connected.”

“Evolutionary speaking, it is beneficial to the creature,” Spock said. “Regardless of what it stung, the poison would be able to do some damage to the prey.”

I snatched the vial out of Prince’s hand. “Thanks for the lesson, Spock, but its not helping us get any closer to saving Elise.” I could hear my voice getting louder and louder as I spoke until I was nearly yelling. “Instead of wasting time lecturing us, how about you use that big brain of yours to think of a solution!”

“I am not the medical professional, doctor,” Spock spat. His face was flushed green as his anger rose. “Elise is in your care and you are failing her. If you were in her place, she would do everything in her power to save your life. I expect you to do the same for her.”

“If Elise was the one who was awake, she’d have some magical solution tucked away in her backpack and she’d come in here and save the day within 15 minutes,” I said. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, realization hit me. “Her PADD. The one that makes medicine. Could it create an antivenom from a sample?”

Spock froze, his eyes widening the slightest amount. “I am not sure. It is a possibility though.”

Jim, who was carrying the small bag Elise had taken on the away mission, dug through the bag and pulled out the PADD. I took it from him and quickly began searching through the options until I found the section labeled ‘Venom/Poison.’ Once I selected it, various options sprung up. Right at the top of the list was a plus sign and the words ‘ _ Create New Solution.’ _

“I’ve found something,” I said, tapping on option. “Prince, give me the sample.”

The PADD’s display changed to a screen where the user could input information. I scrolled through, trying to find something about using a sample of the venom. Finally, at the bottom of the page, was an option to input a sample.

I took the top off the vial and placed it in the chamber on the side of the PADD. A small tube lowered into the sample and sucked some of the venom into the inner workings of the PADD. A spinning wheel appeared on the screen with the word ‘ _ Loading’  _ beneath.

“Oh come on! Hurry up, you stupid thing!”

With in a few seconds, the wheel disappeared and was replaced with the words ‘ _ Venom detected. Antivenom formula written. Would you like to prepare the antivenom?’ _

I didn’t hesitate on selecting yes.

The chamber door opened and I was prompted to remove the venom. I handed it off to Prince. By the time I was looking back at the PADD, a vial of antivenom was waiting in the chamber.

I had no time to lose. I loaded the vial into a hypo and pressed it directly into Elise’s neck. With a  _ whoosh, _ air passed through the hypo and forced the antivenom into her body.

Her shaking stopped. Elise went slack. For a moment, I panicked, thinking I’d just killed her.

Then I heard Chapel sigh. “It worked. Oh my God, it worked.”

I looked to where she was pointing and saw that Elise’s oxygen levels were rising. Her blood pressure was low, but it stopped dropping. The gash in her side began to heal faster beneath the regenerator.

Elise was alive. 


	18. Dreams

__ Kirk

“That thing can’t be legal,” Prince said, pointing at the PADD. “How the hell can that tiny thing do what our computers can’t?”

“Elise wouldn’t bring something illegal on the ship,” Chapel said, her voice stern. 

“I’m not so sure.” I eyed Spock, noticing how he was avoiding looking at anyone and was keeping uncharacteristically quiet, especially for a topic that involved both his cousin and rules. “Look at his face. He knows something.”

“Well,’ Spock said, finally making eye contact with me. “The machine is not illegal. Nurse Chapel is correct on that matter. But the use of it in a medical facility is not exactly lawful.”

“What are you talking about?” Prince asked. 

“It’s a prototype that Elise was given while working at her last job. She was instructed to test its interface during her free time and to present it to potential buyers to see if there was any interest in the product. It was only to be used during an emergency in which a patient was in danger of dying should they not receive the necessary medication.”

“So if the medication killed them the company wouldn’t be in legal trouble,” I said, knowing where he was going with this. “They could say that the patient was going to die anyway and that they were just trying to save their life.”

“Precisely.”

“You condone this?” Chapel asked, looking at Spock. “You’re known for following the rules.”

Spock didn’t even blink at the question. It was clear he already had an answer prepared. “No laws or regulations were violated. The tool was only used in emergencies when there were no other viable options.”

“She’s getting away with it on a technicality,” I laughed. “I knew she was clever but I didn’t know how damn sneaky she was. I like it.”

“Are you telling me that she’s been running around with experimental technology? I just dosed her with something that we had no guarantee would work?” Bones growled. The soft and scared expression he’d been wearing since he saw Elise in the transporter room was gone. He was back to scowling at us all. 

“Elise would not use any medical device or medication she did not trust,” Spock confidently said. “I fully trust her judgement.”

“This stays between us. Got it?” Chapel said, all business. “We don’t want her to get in trouble. That one Admiral already doesn’t like her for having these tools. If he found out that some of them were just prototypes, he’d have Elise thrown out of Starfleet.”

“My lips are sealed,” Prince said. From the look in his eyes, I knew he was telling the truth. Everyone else in the group nodded in agreement. 

“McCoy, why don’t you go get cleaned up?” Chapel suggested. She gestured to his bloody hands with her own. “I’ll finish using the regenerator on her cut and then move onto her lungs. When I get done, I’ll have one of the other nurses get Elise cleaned and dressed.”

“Captain, I think you and the Commander ought to change your clothes and clean all the blood off,” Prince said. “Commander Spock, I’m sure you’ll want to come and stay with Dr. Manning. Once she’s moved to a bed, I’ll have a chair set up for you beside her.”

Spock left to do as Prince suggested while I trailed after Bones. While he washed Elise’s blood of his hands, I leaned against the wall beside him.

“Are you okay? You seemed pretty shaken up back there,” I said. I eyed my friend’s face, looking for any sign of distress.

“You know, surprisingly, it is unsettling to see your friend nearly die,” Bones sarcastically said. 

“Fine, be that way. Just trying to check on you. I’d never seen you so freaked out before.”

He sighed. Bones gripped either side of the sink and hung his head. His eyes were closed as he took measured breaths. 

“I’m wound tighter than an 8 day clock, Jim. Her bleeding out like that was one of the worst things I’ve seen in my life.” He paused, taking a shaky breath. “I had a bad feeling about that away mission. I tried to tell her not to go but she didn’t listen. She said everything would be fine and like an idiot, I believed her. She could have died. If we didn’t have her PADD, there would have been nothing for me to do but sit back and watch her die.” Bones straightened and ran his now clean hand through his hair. “I should have been the one down there.”

“Bones, stop it. It was her choice to go to the planet. There was nothing you could have done.”

“I could have told her she was staying and I was going. I could have pulled rank,” he argued.

“You know Elise. You know that wouldn’t have worked. If anything, it would have made her want to go even more. She would have just fought you until you let her go.”

Bones shook his head. Just as he was about to walk away, he noticed the blood on his sleeves. 

“Hell,” he grumbled. “I need to change my shirt.”

“Don’t you keep an extra in your office?”

“I’m wearing the spare now. I spilled coffee on the one I was wearing this morning. I’ll run back to my room in just a minute. I want to check Elise’s vitals before I step out,” he said. Bones went back to the main area of the medbay with me trailing behind him. I waited a few feet away while he did his job. 

A couple of the nurses had changed Elise and put her in a bed. They’d wheeled the bed to the corner, away from the noise of the rest of the medbay. She looked peaceful lying on the white sheets. The pale blue shirt she wore was too big for her, probably because it’s easier to put loose clothes on an unconscious person instead of tight clothes. The shirt looked soft and like she’d be comfortable in it. 

There was an IV in both of her arms. One was for blood and the either was for fluids to rehydrate her. There was probably other things like vitamins and electrolytes mixed in to help get her back on her feet.

Bones moved around the bed, gently checking the IVs. He glanced over the screens, checking to make sure her internal organs were working right. Once he had finished with those, he pulled her sheet down just enough to let him snag the hem of her shirt. He lifted the shirt slightly and glanced at where the gash had been. Just over his shoulder I could see that there was just the faintest scar there now. I guessed that in a day or two, once the new cells had settled, they would do another pass with a dermal regenerator and the scar would be gone. 

Gingerly, Bones pulled the sheet back up until its edge rested across Elise’s chest. He looked down at her, the slightest quirk to his lips hinting at a hidden smile. His eyes searched her face, for what I didn’t know. His gaze was soft, his face relaxed; I’d never seen him look at someone like that before.

That’s when it hit me. He cared about her as more than just a friend. There was no way Bones would ever look at a friend that way. I didn’t know if it was a crush or if it was something more but I knew he was fond of her, more so than any other woman I’d seen him with. 

“You just realized it, didn’t you?” a voice said beside me. I jumped in surprise and whipped my head around to look at Nurse Chapel. She had her eyes fixed on Bones, who was now examining the IV bags and the rate at which they were emptying.

“You knew?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

“Of course. Everyone who works in the medbay knows, even the ones who aren’t on a shift with them. Nurses love to gossip.”

“Does that mean half the ship knows? Because it is hard for me to believe that nurses only talk to each other and no one else.”

She rolled her eyes and scowled at me. “Of course nurses talk to other people. Doesn’t mean they tell everyone about what's going on in the medbay. We protect our own, even if it's just from rumors.”

I snorted, smiling down at her. “You’re all pretty close knit here, aren’t you?”

“Have to. We’re in charge of the crew’s health. If we can’t trust each other with our personal lives, how are we supposed to trust each other to help with saving a life?”

“Good point,” I said. I nodded towards Bones and Elise. “How long has this been going on?”

Chapel shrugged. “Hard to say. It happened so slow it's impossible to pinpoint the start. I mean, he hasn’t even realized he has feelings for her.”

“Does she have feelings for him?”

“Maybe,” she laughed. “Elise is really good at hiding her emotions. If she doesn’t want us to know what she’s feeling, then we won’t know.”

Bones finished with Elise and finally noticed me standing there. He glared at me and gestured for me to get out of the medbay.

“Jim, you’re disgusting. Go clean yourself,” he snapped. “Then come back here. I need to give you a medical exam.”

“Fine! Fine, I’m going!”

Leonard

For once I was glad that the medical staff’s cabins were close to the medbay. I was able to change my shirt and be back in the medbay within 5 minutes. When I stepped in, I spotted Spock sitting in a chair beside Elise’s bed. He held a PADD in his hand and his eyes slid across the screen, reading something. 

“How are you doing, Spock?” I asked, standing on the other side of the bed.

He didn’t look up. “My injury was seen to.”

“Meant how are you doing after everything that happened with Elise, but okay. I’ll take that answer.”

“Has the Captain had his medical exam?” Spock asked, finally setting the PADD aside. 

“He’ll be back soon.”

“That is good,” Spock said, reaching for his PADD. “I do not believe he is injured but he may be dehydrated.”

I was about to tell him to let me do my damn job and to stop diagnosing people when I heard a small groan from the bed.

Elise’s eyelids flickered and then opened. She blinked lazily, her eyes unfocused and dazed as she stared at the ceiling. Her arm came up as she reached to touch her face. Without hesitating, Spock took her wrist, stopping her. He guided Elise’s arm back down to her side.

“Gentle, cousin. There are still IVs in your arms. Dr. McCoy would not be happy if you were to disturb them,” he said. He spoke softly, a gentleness in his eyes that I rarely saw.

Elise turned her head, slow and sluggish, and looked at Spock. She broke into a wide grin, her teeth flashing. Her eyes were half-lidded while they struggled to focus. When she spoke, her voice was slow and slurred, as though it was hard for her to form her words.

“Aw, Spock. You’re okay. That makes me happy,” she said. Elise tried to move her arm again, causing the IV to tug at her skin. She finally noticed the tubes hanging from her and stopped to examine them. “Why are these here?”

“You got gutted, kid,” I said. My heart, which had been heavy since I got the call from Scotty, finally lightened. “You said everything was going to be fine, you liar.”

Elise rolled her head to look at me. She gave me the same joyful and drunken smile she’d given Spock. 

“Hiya Leonard. Did you fix me?” she asked.

I chuckled and took a seat at the foot of her bed. “It was a team effort. How are you feeling? Anything hurting? Do you remember what happened?”

“Nah, I feel great.” Elise giggled lightly, her eyes closing as she relaxed into her pillow. “I think I remember. I got stabbed by a big purple thing. Then I was on the ship and then I was asleep.”

“God, she’s high,” Jim said from beside me, having just entered the medbay. I jumped slightly when he spoke, not having heard him approach.

Her eyes flew back open at the sound of his voice and she broke into another grin. “Jimmy! You’re okay too! This is great.” She shifted to try and see him better and was stopped by her IVs again. She huffed, her face dropping as she stared at them. 

“Stop pulling on those,” I told her. “You need them.”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she became interested in the shirt she was wearing. Elise tugged at the cloth and looked at it in confusion.

“Who’s is this?”

“Your’s now,” I told her.

“Oh.” Her brows were still drawn together. “Who put it on me?”

“A female nurse did,” Spock said. “Though, I can not say your modesty has been preserved, unfortunately. You were rushed through the halls of the ship while not wearing your uniform top.”

Elise let go of the shirt and let her head fall back onto the pillow. “Oh dear. That’s not ideal.” She shrugged as best she could, making the tubes of the IVs wiggle in a way I didn’t like. “It’s just skin. It’s like wearing a bikini.”

“I’m sure you look great in a bikini, especially when you aren’t covered in blood. Maybe you could model one for us sometime,” Jim laughed. Spock shot him a dirty look while I elbowed him.

Elise didn’t seem to care, she just laughed. “In your dreams, Jimmy.”

Hurried footsteps caught my attention. We looked over at the doors of the medbay and saw Uhura rushing in. 

“Is she okay?” Uhura asked, pushing past Jim.

“Nyota!” Elise shouted, far louder than was needed. Uhura shushed her as she skirted around me to stand by Elise’s head.

“Yes, hi there,” Uhura said, putting her hand on Elise’s shoulder. “I heard that the venom was pretty strong. How are you?”

“I’m good,” Elise said, smiling. She raised her arms to try and hug Uhura. The IV stands rattled as she yanked on the tubes.

“Damn it, woman! I told you to stop that! If you won’t hold still, I swear, I will strap you down!” I said, only half joking. I was fully prepared to restrain her if needed.

Elise gave me a wickedly sharp look, a small quirk to her lips and one eyebrow raised. “Is that a promise? Cuz’ maybe I’d like that.” Then, she giggled and let her head fall back. She went back to looking at the ceiling, studying the smooth metal panels.

And for the first time in a long time, I was startled into silence. I was at a loss for words. My mouth hung open while I stared at her. I looked over at Spock, hoping for help. As soon as I saw his face, I knew he was going to be useless. He looked completely catatonic as he blinked rapidly, trying to process what Elise just said. 

“Maybe you should go to sleep,” Uhura said to Elise. “Let’s let her rest, guys. Come on.”

“No!” Elise snapped, for the first time showing an emotion besides glee or confusion. She looked down right scared. She grabbed Uhura’s sleeve so tightly that her knuckles went white. Her soft brown eyes went wide and panicked. “I don’t want to have more dreams. They were bad! Stay here, please.”

“She must be referring to the dreams she experienced while you were operating,” Spock told me. “You mentioned that the scans showed brain activity similar to dreams or hallucinations.”

Uhura ran her hand over Elise’s forehead, pushing the hair from her face. “What were the dreams about, El? Do you want to tell me?”

Elise didn’t answer at first. She seemed to be trying to organize her thoughts. “You died,” Elise managed to say. “And Spock died. And Leonard. And Jim. I dreamt all my friends died. It was bad.”

Jim nudged me. When I looked at him, he whispered, “Did the venom do that?”

I nodded. “Most likely,” I whispered back. “I’ll need to do more research. I’ve heard of some poisons and venoms that cause the person to see their worst fears. The visions can feel real in the moment.”

“McCoy, do you have anything you can give her?” Uhura asked, taking Elise’s hand. Spock kept Elise distracted while Uhura spoke to me. “I really think she needs to sleep.”

“I agree,” Jim added. “Can you sedate her?”

“I have no idea how much pain medication is in her system or even what type. If I knew what she had, then maybe, but since I don’t, we have to wait until she’s completely detoxed from the first hypo,” I explained. “She’s going to have to fall asleep on her own. I expect that Spock will stick around for a while and I plan on staying in the medbay for the rest of the night. She won’t be alone so maybe she’ll calm down and relax enough to sleep.”

“Wow wait, why are you staying here all night?” Jim asked. “You’ve already been here for 2 shifts.”

“Because I’m the one who’s familiar with Elise’s condition. I need to be here incase something happens.”

Jim gave me a look, one that’s meaning I didn’t know, and he nodded. “Fine. But you have the day off tomorrow. Understood?”

I huffed. “Fine. Whatever. Come on, you need a medical exam.”

While I checked over Jim, Uhura said her goodbyes to Spock and Elise. Once I confirmed that Jim was fine, he said bye to us all.

“Be good for Bones, you hear?” He winked at Elise, getting her to giggle. “He’s stressed enough as it is.”

“Scram,” I snapped, nudging him towards the door. “She doesn’t need a brat like you keeping her up all night.”

Spock and I got Elise settled and tried again to urge her to go to sleep. She again refused, but as soon as she said she wasn’t tired, she yawned. Spock gave me a look that said he didn’t believe her. 

I went back to my office to begin documenting what happened. I wanted to write everything down while the memories were fresh. Once I had finished, I began planning how to go about studying the venom that was collected from the stinger. Just as I was preparing to send the plans to Dr. Prince, my door pinged, alerting me that someone was outside.

“Come in,” I called, careful not to yell loud enough to disturb any of the sleeping patients.

The door slid open and Spock stepped in. His shoulders were drooping, same as his eyelids. The bags under his eyes were a dark shade of green.

“Elise has been asleep for some time. Lieutenant Uhura has messaged me and insisted that I return to my quarters to rest. I do not wish to leave if there is any possibility that Elise will need me. Is she currently stable or is there risk of her health deteriorating?” 

“She’s going to be fine, Spock,” I assured him. “Get some sleep, you look like shit.”

Spock looked offended at what I said but didn’t bother to respond. He just turned on his heel and marched out of the room. I followed him out, deciding that now was a good time to do a round and check on the patients. 

I saved Elise for last. When I got to her, I checked her vitals, which were all normal, and then sat in the chair Spock had been using before.

Elise’s dark hair was fanned out around her head, contrasting greatly with the stark white pillowcase. Her chest rose and fell gently in her sleep. Elise’s lips, which were still paler than normal but thankfully not blue, were parted slightly. 

I glanced around the room and saw that all the patients were asleep and the staff was all at their stations working on their research. I allowed myself to relax into my seat.

“You scared me, kid, you know that?” I said to Elise, knowing full well she couldn’t hear me. It was easier to talk to someone when they slept. They couldn’t judge or remember anything I said. “Do me a favor and stay in the ship from now on. I don’t know what we’d do if we lost you. I need your help here. How am I supposed to handle these idiots. I mean, you know Jim and Spock. They’d drive me up the wall if you didn’t help keep them in check.”

I opened my mouth to say more but quickly snapped it shut when I saw Elise move. With the smallest moan, she turned her head towards me. Blinking sleepily, she looked at me with her soft hazel eyes. I felt my heart catch in my throat, as though it was trying to leap out of my chest, as she gave me a smile. 

“Hey there,” she said. 

“Hey. How do you feel?” I asked, hoping she hadn’t heard what’d I’d said. I didn’t need her hearing all that.

“I’m pretty sore but I’ll live. Can you help me sit up?”

I got up and adjusted the bed so that she was in a sitting position, careful not to disturb her freshly healed wound. 

“How’s that?”

Elise smiled up at me. “That’s good, thanks.” She looked around the room, searching for something. “Where’d Spock go?”

“He left just a little bit ago. Uhura made him go to his room and get some rest,” I told her.

“Oh, so her being here wasn’t a dream?”

“She was here earlier but she didn’t come back to pick him up. I think she just sent him a message over his PADD.” I raised an eyebrow at her and asked the question that was just at the tip of my tongue. “What all do you remember?” 

“Things are a little fuzzy. I remember you, Spock, Jim, and Uhura visiting with me,” she paled. For a split second I thought she was going to be sick. “Did I seriously joke with Jim about me wearing a bikini?”

I chuckled. “Yes, you did.”

“And did I joke about you tying me to the bed?” 

I didn’t laugh that time. That time, I made a choking, coughing noise. “Uh… Yes.”

Elise groaned and threw her head back against the pillow behind her head. “Oh God. I’m so sorry. It was the drugs talking, I swear. I always end up acting wild when I take pain medications.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” I told her. “Hold still, I’m going to take you off the IVs.”

As soon as I removed the tubes from her arms, she was pushing the sheets and blankets off her lap. Elise went to get off the bed but I stopped her, grabbing hold of her shoulders and trying to get her to lay back.

“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped.

Elise looked at me like I was an idiot.“I’m going back to my room.”

“You can’t walk yet! You nearly died today.”

“Yes,” she said haughtily. “Nearly. But I didn’t. So I’m going to my room to sleep. My bed is way more comfortable than the ones in the medbay. In the end, I’ll heal better in my own room.”

We both glared at each other, waiting for the other to back down. After what felt like an hour, but really only lasted a few seconds, the standoff ended with me sighing. 

“Fine. But I’m walking you there.”

“Fine.”


	19. Realizations

Elise

I placed my bare feet on the metal floor of the medbay. An involuntary shiver ran up my spine at how cold the floor was. Leonard stood in front of me, his hands slightly raised in front of him, ready to catch me if I fell.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed up off the bed and stood. My knees wobbled, but held strong. I smiled at Leonard and then took a step. That’s when I collapsed forward into him. 

His arms were around me in a heartbeat, holding me to his chest. I grasped tightly to his shirt, trying to hold myself up while I got my legs beneath me again. As I panted, I caught the smell of his cologne. It was a musky and woodsy scent that I had grown to love over the time I had worked with him. 

Once I was standing again, I looked up at Leonard and gave him one of my winning smiles. 

“See, I’ve got this,” I joked, hoping he couldn’t hear how hard my heart was pounding from being so close to him. 

“Bullshit. Come on, put your arm over my shoulder,” he instructed, wrapping one of his arms around my waist and using the other to guide my arm across the back of his neck. I leaned heavily on Leonard as we walked towards the door of the medbay. When he spotted another doctor, he stopped and told her that he was helping me back to my quarters.

“You should go to bed after, Dr. McCoy,” she said, concern clear on her face. “You’ll work yourself to death if you don’t.”

He huffed but agreed. With a wave, the two of us left and went into the hall, which was nearly empty. The cabins in the hall of the medbay were those of the medical staff and without much else down this hall, it was always quiet. 

I stumbled along beside Leonard as he held me up, my legs still weak. By the time we reached my door, I was breathing heavily from the short walk. I opened the door to my quarters and was relieved that I had picked up my room the day before. 

The door slid closed behind us as Leonard led me inside. The cabin was set up like a studio apartment, everything together in one room besides the bathroom, which was closed off. 

He made a beeline past my living area to my bed, which was on a slightly raised platform in an alcove in the back of the room. Leonard eased me down onto the foot of the bed. He pulled my blankets back and helped me to scoot up the bed to get underneath them.

“Thank you, Leonard,” I said, hoping he could tell how much I appreciated his help. 

He nodded. “It’s no problem,” he told me, stoically. “Will you be okay in here by yourself?”

“Yeah, I should be. If I have any issues, I’ll comm you or Spock.”

Leonard looked around the room. “Where’s your handheld comm? I want to put it next to your bed so you can reach.”

“Ah, that is a good question. I have no idea. It was attached to my belt when I went on the away mission.”

“Hell,” he groaned. “I have no idea what happened to your clothes. We’ll have to search for your stuff tomorrow. Here’s my handheld. Call the comm that’s in my room.”

I took it and placed it on the nightstand beside me. “Got it.”

Leonard eyed me again, looking my face over. “Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Leonard

I knew Elise would be fine. I knew that if there was an issue, she’d call. But looking at her, so small in her bed and still so weak, I couldn’t bring myself to leave. 

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Elise gave me a tired smile. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

I huffed, walked over to her couch, and dropped down onto it. I picked up the PADD that sat on the side table and turned it on to read the news. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep. The venom gave you night terrors earlier. I want to see if you’ll have more bad dreams or if there are other lasting side effects.”

She laughed lightly. “You don’t need to.”

“I want to,” I insisted. 

Elise didn’t say anything. I was about to look over and see what she was doing when I heard the sheets rustle and her settle down in bed. I stared blankly at the screen, not actually reading the words that were before me. 

A realization had struck me dumb. There was only one answer to why I had been so scared of losing Elise. Why I was so protective of her. Why I couldn’t leave until I knew she was going to be okay.

I had feelings for Elise. 

Shit.

Elise

I snapped awake, panting for air. My sleep had been plagued by more of the same nightmares as before. Each dream was just another one of my worst fears. In each dream, someone that I cared about died horribly in front of me. The last one I had just before I had awoke was of Leonard. The lasting feeling of dread and fear and heartbreak left me shaking in my bed.

The lights were dimmed in the room, leaving only the slightest glow so as to not be pitch black. I sat up, cringing at how sore I was. My hair was messy and ruffled from sleep. I smoothed the strands in an attempt to tame them. As I did so, I heard something move by my couch. 

I froze, fear zinging through me, my mind automatically assuming there was danger. My heart picked up its pace and I felt myself start to hyperventilate. I scrabbled at my nightstand, trying to grab the comm that Leonard had left for me. As I started to call him, I flipped on the lamp beside my bed. Its pale yellow light was just bright enough to cast a small amount of light on the living area. I could just make out the shape of something, more like someone, lying on my couch. 

I paused, trying to make out who was there. I closed the comm and slid out of bed, careful to stand slowly and keep my hand on the wall. Once I had my balance, I padded across the room and to the living area, the handheld comm still clutched tightly in my hand. As I got closer to the couch, I saw that the person was none other than Leonard, still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.

He was too tall to fit on the couch. His legs were propped on one of the armrests, his ankles and feet hanging off the couch. He was laying on his back, my PADD face down on his chest. One hand rested on top of it while his other arm dangled over the edge of the couch. His hair was a mess and stubble was growing on his jaw. Leonard’s thick lips were pressed together, though relaxed. His entire face was lax and peaceful, something you rarely saw when he was awake.

I smiled down at him and felt the sudden urge to run my hands through his hair. My chest felt warm and butterflies erupted in my stomach. 

And the realization hit. There was only one reason why I had been so affected by the nightmare of him dying. Why I was so relaxed by his presence. Why I was nervous when he touched me.

I had feelings for Leonard. 

And that was not good.

Before I could contemplate how bad this was, Leonard shifted again. A small noise slipped from somewhere deep in his throat. I knew he was about to wake up and there was no way I could move fast enough to get away from him before his eyes opened. So, I did what any logical person would do.

I screamed his name and dropped the comm on his stomach.

Leonard bolted up into a sitting position, knocking the PADD and the comm onto his lap. He looked around wildly, his dark and sparkling eyes wide. His hair was even messier than I originally thought. It was smashed flat in the back and on the left side but stuck up in every direction everywhere else. Once his eyes focused on me, Leonard scowled.

“What was that for, you brat?” he snapped.

“You were asleep and I wanted you awake, cowboy. Simple.”

Groaning, he stretched his arms above his head, trying to work the kinks out of his back. I had to keep my eyes from wandering down to the strip of skin that was revealed by the lifted hem of his wrinkled shirt.

“Sorry, didn't mean to sleep here. Was reading Earth news and dozed off,” he said. Suddenly, he snapped to attention. “What are you doing out of bed? You need to be resting, damn it!”

“I’m fine, see?” I said, gesturing down at myself. “Just a little sore. You don’t need to baby me, McCoy.”

“Back to last names, are we, Manning?” Leonard asked. He kept the same grumpy look on his face but I noticed he’d softened a tad around the eyes. 

“If you keep acting like this, then yes.” I gestured for him to scoot over before sitting down next to him, hissing as my freshly grown skin tugged uncomfortably. When Leonard gave me a worried look I waved him off. “I’m okay,” I told him.

“Yeah sure. And pigs can fly. Let me see.”

Rolling my eyes, I pulled up the side of my shirt and let him see the closed wound. The scar was red, but besides that, it looked perfect.

“Hmm. Well, take it easy for the next few days. Got it?”

“Whatever,” I said, dropping my shirt and relaxing back into the couch. 

A ping at my door caught our attention. I made to go open the door when Leonard stopped me. 

“I’ve got it,” he said.

For once, I didn’t argue. When the door slid open, Spock, Uhura, and Jim were all waiting on the other side. Spock had a slightly worried look on his face while Uhura looked annoyed with Jim, who was smiling devilishly. When they saw that Leonard was the one who opened the door, Jim’s smile only grew.

“Whatcha doing here, Bones?”

“Yes, doctor. What are you doing in my cousin’s quarters?” Spock asked darkly, his eyes shifting from worried to angry. 

“He helped me back to my room and stayed with me until I was asleep. He ended up falling asleep while he was reading,” I said, jumping in before Spock got too protective. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We came to check on you, but I see you’re already being well taken care of.” Jim waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way that made both Leonard and I glare at him. 

“Shut up, you idiot,” Leonard snapped before stepping out of the way to let them in. “I’m heading back to my cabin to get cleaned up before my shift.”

Jim’s face went from amused to serious within in seconds. “No, you aren't working today. I told you that. Go eat and then sleep. Now.”

Leonard huffed and then nodded. With a quick wave goodbye to me, he was gone. 

Spock sat on the couch with me while Uhura took the chair opposite. Jim perched himself on the armrest beside me. 

“So Bones stayed here last night. That’s interesting,” Jim said.

“Yeah, he fell asleep on the couch. Then I threw a comm at him to wake him up.”

Jim flinched at the mental image while Uhura smiled. 

“Are you feeling well, Elise?” Spock asked, ignoring Jim’s and my bickering.

“Seriously, I’m fine. Jesus Christ, everyone is always asking me that.” I pointed at the replicator in my kitchenette. “If you want to be useful though, you can get me some breakfast.”


	20. Making Deals

Leonard

Elise and I didn’t see much of each other over the next few days, which I was fine with. She needed to rest and I needed time to figure out what I was going to do about my new found feelings for her. 

I knew better than to tell her. I was her commanding officer; it wouldn’t be appropriate to be in a relationship with her, even if she did want me, which I knew she wouldn’t. 

I was older than her, divorced, pessimistic, and not a joy to be a round. Elise was the opposite. She was so full of life. Sure, she was aggressive and a bit closed off, but that was part of her charm. But she smiled and laughed, something I rarely did, unless I was with her. She made friends with nearly everyone she met. 

So, in the end, it was best for both of us that she was off duty for the days following her accident. It gave her time to heal and time for me to get my head on straight. 

On the third day of Elise’s rest, the medbay was flooded with crewmen. A virus was spreading throughout the security officers. It affected humans just like any other flu, but any crewmen that wasn’t human that caught the virus had varied symptoms. By the end of my shift, I was stressed and wound up. I needed to let out my pent up energy. I stopped by my cabin, changed clothes, and grabbed my pajamas for after my workout and shoved them in a bag with my shampoo, soap, and razor.

The gym that was on the same deck as my quarters was always crowded, meaning  I actively avoided it. I would always venture to one of the gyms on the lower deck that was rarely used. When I got there, there was no one in the main area. A light beside the door of one of the side rooms, which were used for simulation workouts, blinked red letting me know the room was in use. I went to the next one over and cued up a cycling simulator. 

After an hour of pretending I was biking through the countryside of Georgia, I finally wiped the sweat from my brow and made my way to the locker room. 

I hated the locker rooms on the Enterprise. Since most species had more than one or two genders, it would impractical to have an individual locker room for each of the various genders. That meant that every locker room was unisex. That meant I could be faced with sharing the room with a woman, which was not something I wanted. It wasn't that I didn’t like women. I was just terrified of offending one of them or making them uncomfortable. 

When I stepped into the locker room and heard light, airy, off-key singing, I knew I was going to have to deal with a girl. 

“Hey, just so you know, I’m in here,” I called, not wanting her to step out of the shower and be startled by me. 

There was a squeal, something crashing to the ground, and then cursing. A head popped around the curtain and I was met with Elise’s scared eyes. 

“God, Leonard, you made me drop my shampoo bottle on my foot,” she hissed. “What are you even doing here? There’s a gym on our deck.”

“That one is always crowded. What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be resting!”

Elise groaned and ducked back into her shower, pulling the curtain shut. “I’m sick of sitting around. I needed to do something. And I knew if I went to the gym on our deck that someone would tattle to you that I was working out.”

I shuffled into a shower a few stalls down from her, not daring to even consider showering beside her. My mind was already conjuring up images that it shouldn’t. I didn’t need to make things harder on myself by being right next to her. 

“The medbay has been quiet without you. It’s been nice,” I said, pulling my clothes off and shoving them in my bag. I reached around the curtain and hung my bag on the hook beside the curtain. I turned the water on hot and stepped under the spray, glad to be washing the sweat off of me.

“Ha ha, you’re hilarious,” Elise called over the sound of the running water. “I hoped that you might get that stick out of your ass before I came back to work but I see that didn’t happen.”

“Glad to see the venom didn’t dull your spark, kid.” I scrubbed the shampoo into my hair, keeping my head tilted back to keep the suds from running into my eyes. “But I have to ask: were you always that bad of a singer or is that a side effect? If it is, I need to add it to my report.”

“You’re on thin ice, McCoy,” Elise laughed. I heard her water turn off. “Shit, I left my clothes in my locker. Don’t get out of the shower yet.”

“Better hurry up, I’m nearly done.”

She huffed. I heard a rattling noise as she whipped her curtain back. “You just got in there!”

“I take fast showers. Now hustle.”

Her locker opened and closed with a bang. She rustled around in her bag while I finished rinsing the soap off of my body. When I turned off the water of my shower, Elise yelled at me. 

“You better stay in there, Len!”

“Ooh, I’ve been upgraded to a nickname? I’m honored,” I joked. Being careful not to pull the curtain back, I reached around the edge of my shower and snagged my towel. After I dried off, I pulled my bag into the shower with me and slipped on my pajama pants. I left my shirt off since I needed to shave my face and didn’t want to get the prickly hairs on it.

“Are you decent?” I asked.

“Decent as in morally or as in I have clothes on?” Elise retorted. I heard her giggle quietly. “It’s safe to come out, yeah.”

I stepped from the stall, my hair still dripping and sticking to my skin. My towel draped over my shoulder and my bag in hand, I froze at the sight before me. 

Elise stood at the bay of sinks, her back to me. She was wearing short, pale pink pajama bottoms that were made out of soft, fuzzy material. The sports bra she wore was plain and black but left little to the imagination. Her skin was pale, having not seen natural light in months. Her spine was bony and her ribs visible beneath her skin, which was pulled taunt on her frame. Reflected in the mirror, I could see the thin scar on her side from the scorpion attack. 

Elise didn’t even look at me as I stepped from the shower. She was too busy running a comb through her dark hair. 

“Where’s your shirt?” I snapped, storming over to the sink beside her and throwing my bag on the counter. I pulled out my razor and began preparing my face to shave. 

“My hair’s wet. I wanted to comb it and wring the water out before I put my shirt on. Besides, this is nothing you haven’t seen before. According to Spock, nearly half the damn ship saw me in my bra,” Elise glanced over at me and faltered in her motions. She quickly tore her eyes away and was back to combing her hair. “You’re not wearing a shirt either, so shut up.”

“That was different. You were bleeding. And I’m a guy. Guys go without shirts all the time,” I said, running the razor down my cheek.

“Whatever.” Elise tossed her comb on the counter before gathering her hair and squeezing the water out into the sink. The two of us fell into a quiet rhythm, her applying different skin products to her face that she claimed were helpful and me shaving my face. As I rinsed my razor for the last time, I spoke.

“You know, I can get rid of that scar for you.”

“Yeah, I know. I want to keep it.” She smiled at me. “It reminds me of an adventure, you know?”

“Some adventure,” I scoffed. 

As Elise pulled her tank top on over her head, her stomach flattened and her hip bones jutted. I felt an uneasiness while looking at her. 

“Elise, I want you to step on the scale before we leave.” 

Elise

“Elise, I want you to step on the scale before we leave,” Leonard said.

I turned to face him, surprised by his demand. His face was stern but I still had trouble taking him seriously, especially when he wore his loose, plaid pajama pants. Water ran in droplets down his bare chest, which I had to keep myself from ogling. His dark hair clung to his head, the longer strands stuck to his temples. 

“Excuse me?” 

“I think you’ve dropped weight. How much did you weigh when you came on board the Enterprise? 125 pounds? 120?” he asked.

“About 120, yeah. If I have lost weight, it can’t be much. All my clothes still fit,” I told him, knowing that wasn’t necessarily true. I had noticed my uniforms had been a little looser lately but hadn’t thought much about it.

“The material stretches. Your clothes may just not have to stretch as much now. If you step on the scale, I’ll stop bugging you. If you don’t, I’ll sic your pointy eared cousin on you and he’ll make you do it.”

I groaned. “Fine! You win!”

Back in the main area of the gym, which was still thankfully empty, Leonard led me to the scale in the front corner. He took my bag and waited for me to step up. Once on the scale, his eyes went wide.

“Good God. You’ve lost 25 pounds! What the hell happened?”

I blinked down at the numbers that glowed softly on the scale. “Well damn. I didn’t think it would be that bad.”

“Are you sick? When I scanned you before the only thing that came up was the venom. Did the venom do this?” Leonard was panicking, trying to figure out what was going on.

“No,” I told him. “I forget to eat sometimes. When I go through big changes like a move or something, my whole schedule gets thrown off and then eating just slips my mind. I knew I had forgotten to eat sometimes but I didn’t know I had forgotten often enough to lose that much weight.”

That seemed to confuse him. “You forget to eat?”

“Yeah. I get busy, I don’t feel hungry, and so I don’t eat.”

“Fix it.”

I rolled my eyes. “I can’t just snap my fingers and have all my weight back, Leonard. It’ll take time. Calm down. I’ll do my best to eat more. Does that make you feel better?”

“Not really,” he snapped. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “What would get you to eat more?”

“Having a schedule. That usually helps. But I can't do that while on a starship. With emergencies and all the work I have to do, I can't have set times to eat,” I said with a shrug. “I need to learn to eat when I can, even if I’m not hungry.”

Leonard stared at the floor, deep in thought. One hand rubbed absentmindedly at his freshly shaved chin. After a moment, his head popped back up and he looked me in the eyes. 

“I’ve got it,” he said. “You eat every time I eat. We work the same shifts. When I eat, I tell you to get food too. If its off shift, I’ll call or message you. This way you have a constant reminder of when to eat and it’ll help you set a schedule.”

“What? No, I don’t want to ask you to do that. That’s a lot to put on you.”

“Reminding my friend to eat is not difficult,” he told me, sincerity shining from his eyes. “I did it for Jim all the time at the Academy. Finals would roll around and he’d have his nose in a book 24/7. Half the time I had to hunt him down and force feed him. But that's what friends do, Elise. They help each other. That being said, come on, it's time for a post workout snack before bed.”

“You better put a shirt on first,” I told him taking my bag back from him. “If the ladies of the ship see you walking around like that, we may have an influx of patients faking illnesses.”

That got a laugh out of him.

The two of us bickered all the way back to my quarters about whether I actually had to eat every single time he did. My argument was that he was significantly larger than me and needed more food. He then accused me of calling him fat before telling me that he was my doctor and my boss so I would do as he said.

“I’m just saying, you eat like, 4 meals a day plus snacks. I need about 2 meals max with a few snacks here or there,” I said.

“No, you need 3 meals and then snacks. Jesus Christ, no wonder you’re so tiny. You must have stunted your growth as a kid because you ate like a bird.”

I bumped my shoulder against his. “Shut up, jerk.”

Inside my cabin, Leonard dropped onto my couch and lounged, one arm across the back of the couch and the other on the armrest. “I say we have ice cream.”

“Ice cream?” I asked. “After working out?”

“We worked hard. We deserve a treat.”

I shrugged. “I can’t argue with that.” I went to the replicator and made us each a bowl of vanilla ice cream. I handed his to him and sat on the other end of the couch, my legs folded underneath me. 

And we just talked. 

Not about anything important. We talked about our jobs before Starfleet, about wild things that happened to us in the Academy, the weirdest cases we’d seen while doing our residencies in the Academy’s clinic; just fun and light hearted things. 

Once we had finished, Leonard took our bowls and put them in the sink.

“I should head out,” he said. “I’ve got work in the morning.”

“Can I come back to work tomorrow?” I asked.

Leonard eyed me. “If I say yes, will you agree to your new meal plan?”

I flopped my head back and groaned. “Fine!” I said, laughing. “I’ll agree. Now get out, I want to sleep.”

He snorted. “Alright, goodnight, kid.”

“Night, Len.”

Leonard

Just as I stepped out her door, I slammed into something hard and unmoving. I stumbled back against the now closed door. When I looked for what I had run into, I realized that it was Spock.

“Doctor, you were in my cousin’s quarters again,” he stated, one eyebrow cocked up. 

“Yeah, so?” I snapped, straightening up and trying to smooth my shirt. “We ran into each other at the gym and decided to get a snack afterwards.”

“I see.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Is there a problem here?”

“I am merely curious if you spend time in all of your coworkers quarters so late after your shift,” he said, still giving me an odd expression.

“I spend time in my friend’s quarters, you hobgoblin. Now move.” I pushed past him and stormed back to my own quarters. It wasn’t until after I had brushed my teeth and laid down in bed that I realized I had left my bag in Elise’s cabin. 

I debated leaving it there but decided against it, knowing I would keep forgetting it if I didn’t get it now. Groaning, I crawled out of bed, slipped my shoes on, and made my way down the hall.

As I approached Elise’s door, it slid open and Spock stumbled backwards out of it. Elise stood in the doorway looking down right murderous. 

“Don’t talk to me until you’re done being an ass,” she growled, glaring daggers at her cousin. When she spotted me standing there, she turned her fury on me. “What do you want?” she snapped.

“I… I left my bag…” I stuttered. She rolled her eyes, grabbed my bag, which had been by the door, and flung it into the hall. Without saying a word, she closed her door again. 

I picked the bag up and glanced at Spock, who was standing there staring at the door in shock. 

“So, what did you do?” I asked.

“That is between Elise and I.”

I shrugged. “Fine, whatever. Hope she isn’t still raging around tomorrow. Can’t have her acting like that in the medbay.”

“She will have calmed by tomorrow. Elise has a tendency to be impulsive when she feels vulnerable. She is the same way when those she cares about are threatened. I believe that is why she puts herself in harm's way when others are in danger. She does not think of how her actions will affect her.”

His words resparked my worry about Elise and her health. I ran my hand through my hair and spoke, a nervous buzz in my stomach. “That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to say something. From now on, when there is a dangerous away mission that requires a doctor, have me go instead. Don’t take Elise.”

Spock’s face remained stony but there was a new glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. “You would prefer to be in danger rather than her? I was under the impression that you were not comfortable being a part of away missions.”

“It’d be bad for crew moral if she died,” I said, trying to lighten the mood with a joke. “In all seriousness, from now on, I go on the dangerous missions, got it?”

Spock gave me a curt nod. “I understand, doctor.”

Elise

Just after Leonard left, a ping at my door caught my attention. As I went to answer, I spotted Len’s bag. 

Assuming it was him returning for it, I opened the door and started to hand the bag out. “You wouldn’t want to forget- oh, hi Spock. Sorry, I thought Leonard was at the door.”

“I assumed. I saw Dr. McCoy leaving your room.”

I stepped back and let Spock come in. The two of us sat down in the living area, me on the couch and him on the chair. 

“We ran into each other at the gym and decided to have some ice cream after as a reward for a good work out.” I neglected to tell him about my weight loss, knowing it would only make him worry.

“Yes, he told me,” Spock said. He paused, finding his words, his eyebrows knitted together. “The doctor is older than you.”

I was taken aback by his words, not seeing where he was going with them. “Okay, thanks for pointing out the obvious.”

“He was married once before. The marriage failed due to reasons unknown to me.”

I crossed my arms and sat back in my seat. “What are you getting at, Spock?”

“I am attempting to aid you in considering all of the facts before entering into a relationship with Dr. McCoy,” Spock said, tilting his head to the side. “I am concerned about your compatibility with one another.” 

“Excuse me?”

“Within the past week, he has been in your quarters twice. Once, he spent the night. The second time, he was here very late while wearing his sleep clothes. The logical answer is that you are planning to, or possibly already have, enter into an emotional and/or physical relationship with the doctor.”

I froze, blinking at him in shock. “Are you on drugs?” I asked. 

It was his turn to be startled. “I am not under the influence of any substances.”

“Then why in the world do you think I am hooking up with Leonard? And why do you think it's any of your damn business if I was? Huh?”

“I am trying to protect you from harm,” he said.

“Harm?” I shook my head. “You seriously think Leonard would hurt me?”

“Not physically, no. But emotionally, possibly. I would need to do research on his habits when it comes to romantic relationships before I can say for sure.”

“I can not believe you,” I snapped. “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t date! Besides, it's not your job to protect me.”

Spock blinked at me. “I was under the impression that in human culture a close family member or friend aids in the selection process of a mate. As your only living family member, I saw it as my duty to aid you and to protect you.”

“Are you serious? You have no right to dictate my life, Spock!”

“Elise, if you have feelings for the doctor, I wish to help you decide if a relationship is the best course of action. We can discuss-”

“Out!” I yelled, standing and pointing at the door. “Get out!”

“I don’t understand why you-”

I grabbed his arm and drug him towards the door. Slamming my hand on the panel, the door whizzed open revealing Leonard. He stood there, his dark eyes wide and confused. I shoved Spock backwards out into the hall.

“Don’t talk to me until you’re done being an ass,” I snarled. I looked over at Leonard, embarrassed he saw me and Spock like this. “What do you want?”

“I… I left my bag…” he stuttered. I grabbed his bag, rolling my eyes, and threw it into the hall after Spock. Without saying anything to either of them, I closed the door.

I leaned back against the wall, taking a shaky breath.

I couldn’t let anyone know how I felt about Leonard. It would end in disaster, I just knew it.


	21. Shot

Kirk

“Why do I have to go?” Bones groaned, rubbing one of his hands over his face. “This mission sounds like a terrible idea.”

“We need someone to take a sample from the indigenous people. If you don’t want to go, I can ask Elise,” I said, knowing that there was no way he’d allow her to go.

Bones’ eyes went wide and he sat up straighter. “Are you insane? You seriously want to take her with you after what happened last month when you took her on an away mission? She could have died!”

“Great, so you’ll come on the mission, right?”

Bones sighed but nodded. “Yeah, fine.”

I smiled triumphantly. 

Spock had told me about how Bones had insisted on taking the dangerous missions in Elise’s place. He also raised his concerns about Elise and Bones being in a relationship. After a long debate, I finally convinced him to let things run their course naturally.

“Bones is a good guy,” I’d told him. “He’d never hurt Elise. I mean, the guy doesn’t even want her near danger. He’s willing to do something he hates just to keep her safe. If that doesn’t earn your trust, then I don’t know what would.” I paused. “Or is it that you feel an irrational need to keep Elise from dating? Are you being the big, bad, overprotective cousin?”

Spock frowned at me. “I am not being irrational. I do not see how the doctor and my cousin are compatible. I do not appreciate the way he looks at her. I do not approve of the way many of the male crew members look at her. Regardless, it is hardly appropriate for Dr. McCoy and Elise to be in a relationship when he is her superior.”

“Yep. Overprotective cousin. This is amazing,” I laughed. “You know its not against regulation for them to date, right?”  
“If there is any sign of favoritism or if there are negative effects on their work, then it is.”

“Give them a chance, Spock. You never know, it could be good for them.”

When the away mission came up, Spock pouted. He knew that Bones would be coming along and he was not looking forward to it. He even asked me to request a different doctor but I refused.

“You two could be family one day! Better start getting to know each other now.”

Leonard

“I hate you!” I screamed at the back of Jim’s and Spock’s heads.

I’d been told that we would be collecting samples from the people of a small tribe on the planet. What I wasn’t told was that this tribe was in the middle of a civil war. As soon as we were seen working with one of the sides, we were targeted as a new enemy by the other. An hour into collecting samples, we were attacked. Spock and I packed the science equipment as fast as we could while Jim held our attackers off with his phaser. 

We ran through the forest, trying to outpace the attacking people. We stumbled over branches and roots, not familiar with the terrain. Our attackers, on the other hand, were gaining on us. They moved fluidly through the underbrush, not at all slowed by the debri. 

“I know!” Jim yelled back over his shoulder just as a spear flew over our heads. The three of us ducked as we continued to run. I hefted my bag’s strap higher on my shoulder, the satchel beating a steady rhythm against the back of my legs. 

A twang and a thump startled me, an arrow striking the tree beside me. 

“Faster! They are gaining on us!” Spock called. He was at least two yards ahead of Jim, who was a few steps ahead of me. Suddenly, he cried out and dropped from view, having run straight over the edge of a gulley. He rolled down the slope, coming to a stop at the bottom. Without hesitation, Jim and I jumped, landing hard on our backs and sliding through the leaves and twigs. Together, the three of us stood and began running along the bottom of the gulley. Another twang sounded overhead. This time, when I heard the thump of the arrow striking something, I felt a sharp, burning pain in my shoulder. 

Screaming, I collapsed to the ground. 

Spock and Jim both stopped and came back for me. Jim grabbed my good arm, staring wide eyed at the arrow sticking out of the back of my other shoulder.

“Spock, try calling the Enterprise again!” he demanded, all the while pulling me along, away from our attackers. 

“Spock to Enterprise, three to beam up. One injured,” Spock said into his communicator. 

We didn’t receive any answer. Without warning, a tingling sensation started deep in my gut. In the blink of an eye, I was standing on the transporter pad of the Enterprise. Groaning, I collapsed against Jim.

“I don’t actually hate you,” I managed to choke out.

“I know,” he told me.

Elise

“McCoy got hurt on the away mission. He’s on his way here now,” Nurse Chapel said, running up to my work station. “He got shot with an arrow.”

My heart sunk. My mouth went dry and I felt fear creeping up on me. “Where did it hit him?”

“Shoulder. He’s in a lot of pain.”

A cry came from the main area of the medbay. As one, Chapel and I sprinted to the source of the sound, which happened to be Leonard.

He leaned heavily on Jim, his bag still slung across his body. A large arrow, nearly 2 feet in length, protruded from the back of his shoulder. It was sunk deep into his flesh, the arrowhead likely lodged in the joint.

“Get him on the operation table,” I demanded. I rushed to help support Leonard. Gently, we got him to sit down. Working together, Jim and I got his legs onto the table. “Get that bag off of him and keep him sitting up until I get back,” I said. 

I rushed over to a sink and washed my hands. Drying them quickly, I returned to Leonard’s side. Snapping on a pair of gloves, I began preparing a hypo. I mixed a pain reliever with a sedative to prep him for surgery. 

“What the hell happened?” I asked. 

“I got shot,” Leonard growled. 

“That’s really helpful, thank you,” I said, sneering. I jabbed the hypo into his neck, causing him to wince in pain. “Hold still.”

Gently, I took a small laser and cut through the shaft of the arrow, leaving only about an inch sticking out of his skin. As I did so, Leonard started to relax.

“It doesn’t hurt as much now,” he slurred, his accent thickening. 

“The beauty of modern medicine,” I said. “Jim, Spock, get him lying on his stomach. I need to get that arrowhead out of his shoulder. Any chance of it being poisoned?”

Spock shook his head. “Our research does not indicate that this species uses poison on their weapons.”

“A stroke of luck, for once,” I grumbled. “Chapel, I need scissors. We need to cut his shirt off.”

“Why ya’ cutting my shirt?” Leonard mumbled, his face smooshed against the pillow, his hair falling into his eyes.

“Because we can’t move your arm right now and we need that shirt off of you to operate. Just go to sleep, Len,” I said, petting his hair gently as Chapel handed me the scissors.

“I like this shirt though. It’s bluer than the others.”

“I’ll get you a new one, okay?” I told him. That seemed to please him. He hummed in agreement and settled further into the pillow, finally passing out from the medicine.

I cut along the back of his shirt, following his spine. Once I snipped through the hem of the neck, I cut down the length of his arms. The shirt fell away, still trapped beneath him. Gently, Chapel pulled it out from under him. We both knew that the shirt was filthy and didn’t want it anywhere near his wound.

“Scalpel,” I said, putting a hand out. Chapel handed it to me right away. Gently, I made small cuts on either side of the arrowhead, lengthening the slit that was already there. With slow movements, I wormed the arrowhead out of his shoulder, all the while thankful that it wasn’t stuck in his bone. “Chapel, run a scan. Tell me what the extent of the damage is,” I ordered, setting the arrowhead on a tray beside me. I pulled off my sullied gloves and put on a new, clean pair before grabbing what I needed to clean out Leonard’s wound. 

“Some nerve damage and a slight crack in the bone. Should all heal just fine with a regenerator. He’ll be hurting when he wakes up, though,” she said. 

I ran the dermal regenerator over his shoulder, glad that there was no poison to hinder the healing process. Once the wound was closed, Nurse Chapel, Jim, and I maneuvered Leonard onto his back while Spock observed. 

“He’ll probably wake up soon, if you two want to stick around,” I told the two men. “You both need a medical examine as well so go grab a seat somewhere. Chapel, could you scan the Captain while I examine Commander Spock?”

“Of course.”

Off to the side, I began questioning Spock as I scanned him. 

“What the hell happened? Who shot him? And why is it that the medical officers keep getting hurt on missions, huh? Seems like you would  _ not _ want them to get hurt.”

“Elise, it was not my fault that the doctor was injured. Please do not be angry with me,” he said, eyeing me warily.

I sighed. “Sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m just panicking. Few inches over and Leonard would be dead. God, I should have been the one on that mission. I’m a smaller target. It would have been harder to hit me.”

“This could have happened to anyone, Elise. We were running from an attacking group of the native people. They were firing arrows and throwing spears after us. Leonard just happened to get struck.”

“Elise, I need your help over here!” I heard Jim yell. I turned to see him standing next to Leonard, who was looking up at him with bleary eyes and a ridiculous smile. I hurried over, ready to scan Leonard.

Kirk

Elise looked scared as she hurried over. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“He’s saying someone gave him more painkillers. Should they have?”

Her eyes went fiery and fierce, an anger in them that I found unsettling.

“No! What I gave him was plenty!” she turned on Bones. “Who gave you the medicine?”

“That fella there,” he slurred, pointing at one of the young nurses. 

Without saying anything to either of us, Elise was gone, screaming at the nurse.

“Are you insane? What possibly possessed you to give him more medication? Do you want to kill him?” 

The nurse cowered slightly. “He… he said he was in pain.”

“Of course he’s in pain! I just pulled an arrow from his shoulder! You can’t give a patient drugs everytime they say they hurt. That’s how they overdose!”

“But he’s the CMO-”

“Yes, he is. And he’s high as kite!” Elise snarled. “I gave him pain medication as soon as he got into the medbay!”

“She’s loud,” Bones whispered.

“Yes, she is,” Spock agreed, coming to stand by my side.

Bones nodded, watching Elise chew out the poor nurse, who was looking like he was on the verge of tears. “I like it,” he said.

Spock cocked an eyebrow while I smiled. 

“I know you do, Bonesy,” I said, patting his hand. 

“I’m done. I’m done with all of you! My shift is over so I’m taking him out of here before any of you manage to actually kill him!” Elise snapped, finally marching herself back to Bones’ bed. “Jim, Spock, get him in a wheelchair and get him to his room. I’m going to get some stuff together and I’ll meet you there.”

“Shouldn’t he stay in the medbay incase he gets sick from all the medicine?” I asked.

“I’m staying with him tonight until he’s in the clear. Get him lying in his bed and if he’s hungry, feed him something plain. I’ll be there soon.”

It was a struggle to get Bones into bed. He fought us the whole way, arguing and complaining. 

“I can’t sleep on the bed, Jimmy,” he said, trying to pull his arm away from me. “I gotta sleep on the couch.”

“Doctor’s orders. In bed.”

“My ma taught me that if a lady is stayin’ with you, you let her have the bed. That’s what a gentleman does. Put me on the couch!”

“Elise will not be happy with us if we allow you to lay on the couch. She instructed us to put you in bed,” Spock said. “We must do as she says. If we do not, she will yell at all three of us. I do not think you want that, Dr. McCoy.”

That’s when Elise burst into the room carrying her blue backpack and a smaller bag with some clothes and her toothbrush. 

“Why isn’t he in that bed yet?” she demanded.

“He refuses. Something about being a gentleman,” I said, glaring at my best friend. 

Bones just smiled at her, his eyes soft and gentle. “Hey there, doll. You was yelling real loud earlier. I liked it.”

“I’ll yell at you if you don’t get in your bed.”

“But-”

Elise cut him off. “I know you’re trying to be nice, but if you don’t get in bed, I will sedate you and force you to lay down.”

That seemed to get him to agree. He grumbled and stopped fighting Spock and I. We hefted him from the wheelchair and got him in bed. Elise gave him a quick scan and when she was sure he was alright, she went to the bathroom to change out of her uniform. When she returned, she wore loose pajama pants. They were far too big for her. The drawstring was tied tightly, but the pants still hung low on her hips. Elise paired the pants with a plain black tank top that hugged her painfully thin frame. Her hands worked at her hair, tying the strands into a messy bun on the back of her head. 

“Okay, guys. I’ve got him from here. You both need to get some rest. I’ll call if there are any issues.”

“Are you certain you wish to stay here alone tonight?” Spock asked, looking between Bones and Elise, a nervous glint to his eyes.

“I’ll be fine, Spock. Now get before I call Nyota to drag you back to your quarters.” 

“No need to threaten him,” I said, trying to break the tension. “I’ll make sure he gets back to his cabin. You keep an eye on Bones.” 


	22. Sleeping With A Friend

Leonard

When I woke, my shoulder ached and my head throbbed. My mouth felt dry and my lips stung from dehydration. I pushed myself into a sitting position and blinked at the dark room, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the light. 

As I sat there, foggy memories came back to me of being dragged to the medbay and then to my room. I groaned, remembering how I called Elise ‘doll.’ I couldn't remember everything. I couldn’t even remember why I called her ‘doll.’

“Jim’ll never let me live this down,” I mumbled to myself.

“Len? Are you awake?” I heard a sleepy voice ask from the living area. Elise sat up from the couch, her hair in a messy bun and her eyes half lidded. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just woke up,” I told her. I scooted over to the edge of the bed to stand only for Elise to hiss at me. 

“No! Stay in bed.”

“I need water. I’ll go back to bed after.”

She shook her head and got up from the couch, the thin blanket sliding off of her. “I’ll get it. Hold on.”

Within moments, she was at my side with a tall glass of water and some plain toast.

“Your stomach may be upset from the medicine. Take it easy, okay?” she said.

I nodded before taking the water and guzzling it down. Elise sat at the edge of my bed, keeping a watchful eye on me. Once I finished the water, I set the glass on the bedside table.

“Why were you on the couch?” I asked. 

“A nurse gave you pain killers after I already had given you some. I didn’t want you staying around people who were going to kill you with their stupidity. So we brought you here. I stayed to make sure you weren’t going to get sick.”

“Not what I meant.” I took a bite of the toast before talking, my mouth half full. Elise didn’t seem to care. “I should have been on the couch. You’re the guest.”

She rolled her eyes. “Are we really going to argue about this again?”

“We already talked about it?”

“Yeah, when we first got to your room. I threatened to sedate you if you didn’t get in bed.”

“Well, I’m glad to know I’m still a gentleman when I’m drugged. My parents would be proud.”

That got her to laugh. Just as her last chuckle slipped out, her eyes crinkled shut and she yawned, her shoulders shaking with the force.

“Why don’t you head back to your cabin and get some rest?” I asked.

Elise shook her head, frowning. “I want to make sure you get back to sleep before I go anywhere.”

“Well, I’m still eating so why don’t you turn something on for us to watch.” I made to get out of bed again, this time planning to go and sit on the couch, but she stopped me. 

“I’ll grab a PADD and we can watch something on that. Just rest.” With that, she scurried around, finding a PADD and nabbing up the blanket she had been using earlier. She wrapped it around her narrow shoulders and got into the bed next to me, though she stayed above the covers while I was beneath. As she found something for us to watch, I handed her a piece of toast.

“You have to eat too, remember? That was the deal.”

She huffed but took the toast.

We sat quietly, watching the movie that she had found. I held the PADD between us, the  both of us leaning against the headboard. Half way through the movie, I glanced over at Elise and found myself smiling at her. 

She’d fallen asleep. Elise was still wrapped in the thin blanket, her head tilted back to rest just beside my shoulder. 

Being careful to move slow, I set the PADD by my empty glass. I eased Elise down onto her side in the bed. As soon as she was lying down, she curled in on herself into a small ball, her knees pulled up towards her chest. I chuckled lightly as she burrowed into her blanket. I settled myself down beside her and placed a pillow between us, knowing she’d panic if she woke up and found us pressed into each other. I wanted to get up and go to the couch but I knew that would only infuriate her. I was too tired to carry her back to her own bed and, if I was being honest, I didn’t want her to leave. 

The sound of her steady breathing was relaxing. Elise looked so peaceful, her back facing me and her dark hair, having fallen out of the bun, was draped across her face and catching in her eyelashes. Feeling content, I laid down, turning away from her and allowed myself to slip back to sleep.

Elise

When I woke up, I shivered, the brisk air forming goosebumps on my exposed shoulders. I tugged my blanket up and pulled it tighter around myself. As I shuffled around on my pillow, which had somehow migrated from the top of the bed to beside my body, my hand brushed against something. 

I froze.

What I touched was smooth and warm, much like skin. That’s when I realized I hadn’t gone back to my room that night. 

My eyes flew open and I found myself face to face with Leonard. He was still asleep, laying on his stomach with his head and one arm resting on the pillow between us.  His eyelashes were fanned on his cheeks.

I knew I should move. I knew I should leave. But I couldn’t bring myself to. If anything, I wanted to move closer to him. I wanted to scoot further across the pillow and press myself against him. I wanted to tuck my head under his chin. I could put my ear to his still bare chest and listen to his heartbeat and be comforted by the fact that he was still alive. He was still here.

Without thinking, I felt myself shuffle closer to him, our faces mere inches from each other. Before I could scold myself and move away, Leonard groaned in his sleep. The arm that was closest to me lifted and his hand rubbed at the side of his nose. He rolled onto his back. One arm rested parallel to the edge of the pillow and the further one was cocked up behind his head. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad he hadn’t woken and found me so close to him. 

I took hold of the pillow between us and wrapped my arms around it, content to snuggle with it since I couldn’t with Leonard. It smelled vaguely of his cologne and I felt myself relaxing. Yawning once, I rolled over, taking the pillow with me, and put my back to Leonard before allowing myself to go back to sleep.

Leonard

There was something tickling my face. I wrinkled my nose and pulled the pillow I was hugging closer to me. As I did so, I realized I was not holding a pillow. I was holding a person.

I opened my eyes and saw I had a face full of wavy dark hair. I knew right away that I was cuddled up to Elise. Her back was flush with my front, her knees pulled up as she hugged the pillow that used to be between us. As I shifted, she made a small noise and buried her face in the pillow and pressed herself back into me. With the way she had her blanket clutched tightly around her, I wondered if she was cold. I felt bad, realizing I should be the one on top of the comforter and her below. She’s so much smaller and thinner than me, it’d make more sense for her to have more blankets. No wonder she was pressing herself against me; she was just trying to get warm.

I considered taking my arm away from around her waist and moving away. I knew none of what was going on here was professional. But it felt so nice to be close to someone, something I hadn’t done for a very long time, and I worried she’d get cold. Before I could make up my mind on what to do, Elise twitched in her sleep and made a small, strangled noise. She thrashed her legs and I quickly let go of her and sat up. I took hold of her shoulder and shook her. 

Elise didn’t respond. She made another noise, her eyelids pressed tightly shut. Her nails dug into the pillow she was holding and she kicked again. 

“Elise,” I said, shaking her again. “It’s just a dream! Wake up!”

With a jolt, Elise flew up into a sitting position, her eyes opened wide and her mouth agape, panting. I kept my hand on her shoulder to steady her. Her eyes were unfocused as she stared straight ahead, gasping for air and tears welling in her eyes. 

“Elise? Are you okay?” I softly asked, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

She finally seemed to notice me. Elise locked eyes with me, her face pleading. After a moment, she gave a shaky nod.

“Bad dream. Sorry.”

“How often do you have those?”

She looked away. “Only when I’ve had a scare. Then I start having those dreams again of people getting hurt. I’ll be fine though.”

“What scared you?”

Elise gave me a small, sad smile. “You getting hurt.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke. We sat together, looking into each other’s eyes. Unshed tears still glittered in her eyes. I tried to hide that I was touched by how worried she was about me. I was about to speak when a single tear slid down Elise’s cheek. She tore her eyes away from my and sniffled, trying to hide her face. I reached out and wiped the tear away with my thumb, my touch lingering on her skin. She froze as soon as the pad of my thumb touched her. After a beat, she moved away, getting to her feet and leaving the thin blanket behind on my bed. 

“I should get ready for my shift. Rest up and be sure to eat. Come by the medbay around lunch so I can give you a scan,” Elise said, still avoiding looking at me. She picked up her bag from my living area and gave me a quick wave, which I returned. Once the door closed behind her, I groaned and collapsed back onto my bed.

“Good job, idiot. You’ve scared her off.”


	23. Infected

Elise

Leonard and I sat together in one of the break rooms. We quietly ate lunch, which Leonard had forced me to eat. On our break from the medbay, he’d marched me directly to the break room and had me sit while he got me a tray of food from the replicator. 

It was strange. Ever since I stayed the night in his room the month before, Leonard had been walking on eggshells around me. He was careful to keep a distance but he also was constantly trying to help me or take care of me. For the past few weeks, he brought me breakfast in the medbay. Sometimes it was just a cup of replicated coffee and a protein bar, other times he brought me a full meal. He’d send me to his office to eat, letting me have some peace and quiet for a few extra minutes before I had to deal with the patients.

When he was in a good mood, he’d eat breakfast with me and we’d chat. On days he wasn’t in a great mood, he’d just sit quietly and do work at his desk. I didn’t mind. The silence was comfortable. We’d both read articles or do research on our PADDs, occasionally sending the file to the other to read. It was peaceful. 

With Leonard constantly reminding me to eat, I was beginning to put weight back on. It was a slow process and there were days that he made me eat so much that I felt sick, but in the end, he was helping me. 

So, sitting together in the break room, we ate quietly and watched the other crewmen goof off and have fun. More than once, Chekov would come over and beg me to play a game of chess with him, but every time I pointed at my food and shook my head.

“Chekov, scram. The woman needs to eat,” Leonard snapped when Chekov approached me for the fourth time. 

“But sir, I am not asking about chess,” he said. “I vant to ask if she will help me prank Sulu.”

“That sounds like fun,” I said, perking up. 

Before Leonard could chastise us, my comm chirped.

“Manning here. What’s up?”

“We’ve got a situation. Spock’s gone nuts,” Chapel said. “We’ve got him in quarantine in the medbay but he won’t let anyone come near him. I think we’ll have better luck if you try.”

Leonard and I were on our feet before she finished her sentence. Chekov waved us off from collecting our trays, mouthing that he’d handle it.

“Dr. McCoy and I are on our way. Be there soon,” I told her as we hurried from the break room.

In the medbay, Leonard and I pushed our way to the far corner in the back where we kept the quarantine cells. In the first cell was Spock. He paced back and forth in the sterile white room. A small bed sat in the corner and in the other was a closed off area with a toilet and sink. The clear wall on the front of the cell allowed me to get a good look at him as I walked up. 

His face was flushed green, his hands hanging at his side. Spock opened and closed his fists rapidly, as though he were angry. I noticed a slight green bruising around the knuckles of his right hand. He seemed blind to the rest of the world. That, or he wasn’t interested in the crowd outside his cell. 

Nyota, Jim, Nurse Chapel, and Dr. Prince all stood by, watching him. Nyota was trying to talk to Spock, but he ignored her.

“What happened?” Leonard asked, picking up a PADD from a nearby table and began pulling up Spock’s file. 

“All we’ve managed to get out of him is that he was sprayed with something by a flower he was watering. He left the lab, spotted a crewman speaking to Uhura, and then attacked the guy. Punched him and knocked him out,” Chapel explained. 

Jim nodded. “He said something about being emotionally compromised but we aren’t sure if its from the flower or something else. We need to get a sample of his blood so we can run tests.”

“Alright, give me something to draw his blood. I’ll give it a shot,” I told them. “I’d also like to scan him.” 

Chapel handed me the syringe and a tricorder just as Leonard caught my arm. 

“Elise, are you sure about this? He’s already attacked one person. Spock is Vulcan,” he reminded me. “He could really hurt you.”

I pulled my arm away. “He’s my cousin. He’d never hurt me.”

There was a two door system to get into the quarantine cell. You went into the first door into a decontamination chamber. Once the first door was closed, you could go through the second into the cell. I stepped into the chamber and knocked on the second door, catching Spock’s attention. 

“Spock, is it okay if I come in? I want to help you,” I said once he made eye contact with me. After a brief pause, Spock nodded. I went through the second door, watching as Spock noticed the crowd outside his cell. His gaze shifted from face to face, finally settling on Leonard. Spock’s eyes grew dark. 

“What’s going on, pal?” I asked while preparing the tricorder.

“I am emotionally compromised.”

“I heard. What made that happen?”

Spock turned back to look at me, confusion plain on his face. “There was a flower. It sprayed nectar onto me. I was not affected for 5 minutes. I then began having urges and thoughts that did not seem normal. I fought them off for 15.73 minutes before I broke. I felt the need to find and protect Nyota. When I found her, she was speaking with another man. I… I grew angry with him. I hit him. That is when Nyota convinced me to come here.”

“Urges?” I prompted. I began scanning him though he didn’t seem to notice. He was back to looking out at the gathered people. “Can you explain what you mean?”

“I wanted to hum along to the music that one of the crewman was playing,” Spock admitted. “There were others, such as wanting to laugh at a joke I heard or wanting to yell at someone for making a noise I didn’t like. Then there was the urge to attack the crewman…” He trailed off. “I am having difficulty controlling my emotions. I am struggling to keep them contained.”

“Sounds like this flower is making you act without any filters. It’s removed all your inhibitions. What are you feeling right now? Do you have any urges?”

“I feel angry,” Spock said. He shifted his eyes to glare at Leonard. “I am angry with Dr. McCoy. I would like to hit him.”

“Well, we aren’t going to do that.” I took hold of his hand so I could turn his arm over. Just as I went to push up his sleeve to expose his arm for the blood draw, I realized that his skin was wet. I froze, fearing what I had touched.

“Spock, where did the nectar touch you?” I asked. 

“The flower sprayed the nectar on my hands as I was watering it.”

I sighed. “Great. Okay, I’m going to take your blood and pass the vial out to Nurse Chapel but then I have to stay in here with you. Guess we’re roomies until they find a cure.”

“Wait, what?” Jim said, his voice filtering through the comm in the wall. I looked over and saw him speaking into the intercom by the door of the quarantine cell. “Why do you need to stay in there?”

“I’m infected. The nectar transferred from Spock’s skin to mine. You need to get the crewman Spock hit in quarantine too. If you pass in another syringe, I’ll give you a sample of my blood as well.”

While I drew Spock’s and my blood, Leonard watched me. I could feel his eyes on me, his gaze almost burning my skin. My mind started to wander, thinking about what it would be like for him to hold me or what it would be like to kiss his scruffy cheek. 

With a jolt I realized it was the nectar beginning to take effect. Cursing inwardly, I placed the vials in the decontamination chamber and promptly marched myself over to the bed in the corner. I dropped onto it and stared up at the ceiling, ignoring the questions that were being flung at me by my friends. Spock came over to my side, lifted my legs and sat down, allowing my legs to then rest across his lap.

“You are beginning to feel the effects, correct?” Spock asked. 

I nodded.

“Perhaps meditation will help us.”

I nodded again. 

The two of us fell into silence.

Kirk

“Fantastic!” Bones snapped. “Just what we need! An unstable Vulcan and his catatonic cousin in one cell and a blubbering idiot in another.”

I glanced over at the third infected crewman, a tall, muscular man who had been reduced to tears because of the nectar.

“Bones, calm down. You guys will find a cure and everything will go back to normal. Spock will be back to being stony faced and Elise will be back to her normal cheery self.”

He huffed, not agreeing but also not disagreeing. Bones looked into the quarantine cell at Elise and Spock. 

Elise was still lying flat on her back on the small bed. She stared up at the ceiling, blinkingly lazily. She barely reacted when Spock spoke to her. Elise would nod or shake her head but never moved more than that. Spock, on the other hand, was back to pacing. He’d sit with Elise for short periods of time before being back to moving. It was far different from his normal calm and subdued nature. On occasion, he would lash out and strike a wall or he would yell at someone.

“Its taking too damn long to find a cure,” Bones said. “From the analysis Prince and I pulled on the flower, the first cure we mixed should have worked. When we tested it on a few drops from each of the blood samples, it only caused a weird reaction that killed the blood cells. Prince is working on another now.”

I nodded. “Glad he’s still working on it. Until then, it's a waiting game. Why aren’t we using Elise’s tech again?”

“Tried. It came back with a vial of the exact thing Prince mixed the first time. We just have to keep trying.”

Dinner rolled around. We placed trays of food in the decontamination chamber and unlocked the door for Spock to get them. As soon as he stepped back into the cell, we locked the doors again. 

Spock scarfed the food down, barely pausing to breathe. Elise made no move to eat.

Bones went over to the comm on the wall and called into the cell. “Elise, get up and eat. That’s an order.”

With surprising speed, she slammed her hands over her ears. Elise’s eyes were squeezed shut and she gave a small groan. Spock looked at her, clearly unsettled. Then, he turned and glared at Bones through the clear wall. 

“You are upsetting her,” he growled. Spock stood from his spot on the edge of the bed and made to approach the wall. Before he could, Elise grabbed his wrist and shook her head. 

“No,” she managed to say. “Leave him alone.”

“What is wrong, cousin? Is there anything we can do?”

Elise pulled his hand to her face, allowing his fingertips to brush across her skin. He seemed to understand what she wanted. Gently, he lined his fingers up on her meld points and closed his eyes. After a moment, Spock let his hand fall away. With a small nod, he sat back down. 

“I will encourage her to eat, Dr. McCoy,” he said, not looking at Bones. 

Uhura and I looked at each other, confused. I raised my eyebrow at her, a questioning look on my face. She shrugged. When Bones turned back to us, he looked just as lost.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

“Maybe she’s just stressed and hearing people talk freaked her out,” Uhura suggested. 

“I hope we get that cure done soon. They’re starting to look rough,” I said, eyeing the third crewman. He’d stopped crying an hour ago but was starting to become aggressive and irritated. 

I was beginning to get worried about finding a cure before the symptoms got worse.


	24. Do It

Elise

_ Kiss him. Call to him. Break through the door and go to him. Find him.  _

I focused on a single bolt on the ceiling and forced my muscles to remain still. Tension kept me rigid on the bed. Everything inside me was screaming to get up and find Leonard. I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around him. I wanted to be close to Len.

_ Scream. Run. Find him. Fight. Run. Where is he? _

I could hear Spock moving around the room. Jim spoke to him through the comm, something about food. I found myself flinching each time I heard Jim’s voice. A door opened and closed. A tray was set on the floor beside the bed. Spock didn’t say anything to me as he sat at the edge of the bed and began to eat.

I knew I should eat. I knew I should get up. But I stayed where I was, breathing evenly and keeping my mind focused on something besides Leonard. Just as I got my hands to unclench, I heard a him speak, loud in the small space.

“Elise, get up and eat. That’s an order,” Leonard said, no venom in his voice. 

_ Beg him to come here. Go to him. Kiss him. Call to him. Go. Go. GO. _

I clamped my hands over my ears, trying to block out the voice in my head. I moaned, deep in the back of my throat. I had to force my legs to stay on the bed instead of jumping to my feet and running to the door. I heard Spock growl.

“You are upsetting her,” he said. I felt the bed shift as he stood. 

_ Protect Leonard. _

This time, I listened to the voice. I grabbed at Spock’s arm, stopping him. 

“No. Leave him alone,” I begged, hating how quiet and weak I sounded.

“What is wrong, cousin?” Spock asked. “Is there anything we can do?” 

I pressed his hand to my face, dragging his fingers across my skin. I hoped he’d understand I was asking him to meld with me. I didn't trust my voice in that moment. He eventually lined his fingers with the meld points on my face. Both of us closed our eyes.

I felt him in my head, like a little buzzing in the back of my mind. I let him see what I felt and why I had covered my ears. I let him feel how miserable I was. He could see why I was lying there, motionless. He could feel how much I cared for Leonard.

“ _ You are restraining yourself? That must be exhausting, Elise _ ,” Spock said into my mind.

“ _ Yes, it is. I don’t suggest it. _ ”

I sent a silent plea to him to leave Leonard alone and to not hurt him. Desperation leaked across the bond and I felt Spock recoil slightly. 

“ _ I understand. Rest, cousin. I will not harm him. _ ” He removed his hand from my face and gave me a small nod before sitting beside me again.

“I will encourage her to eat, Dr. McCoy,” Spock said. He didn’t look at Leonard. 

Gently, Spock placed a biscuit in my hand from the tray he had placed on the floor. I took a tentative bite. The bread felt dry and crumbly on my tongue. I swallowed thickly, hating the taste. When I went to set the biscuit down, Spock cleared his throat. I looked at him only see him with one eyebrow raised, a threatening look in his eye. 

I took another bite of the biscuit.

Leonard

Elise ate slowly. Everytime she paused, Spock would give her a sharp look, prompting her to continue. 

“McCoy,” Prince said from behind me. “I finished mixing the next version of a cure. Would you like to watch as I test it?”

“Yeah, I’m coming,” I snapped, not meaning to come off as angry with him. 

Together, we prepared a sample of blood from each infected crew member on slides for the microscope. We added a drop of the new cure to each of the samples and placed the slides under each microscope. The screens above them lit up and focused in on the samples. We watched as the infection attacked and destroyed the cure we had just added.

“Damn it,” Prince groaned. He let his head fall and bang against the desk. “What the hell are we doing wrong?”

“I have no idea.”

“Why don’t we ask Sulu to take a look at it?” Chapel asked, looking over our shoulders at the screens. “He knows a lot about plants. He spends time in the botany lab sometimes and studies them. He was top of his botany classes before he switched degree programs.”

I nodded, thinking it over in my head. “Alright. Bring him in. Maybe he can spot something we’re missing.”

The call was made and Sulu was in the medbay within minutes. He gave me his warm, good natured smile that always made him look so easy going. 

“Hey there. Heard you need me to take a look at something. What’s going on?”

Jim explained the situation and even took Sulu to see the infected crewmen. Spock glared when Sulu said hi to him and Elise. Elise’s only reaction was to flinch and curl in on herself slightly. The third crewman snarled and lunged at the door when Sulu tried to talk to him.

“So what have you tried?” Sulu asked Prince and I. 

“Well, we tried a specialized medication for neurotoxins but the reaction was bad. We just tested an antipsychotic we made but it went about as bad as the first medicine we tried,” Prince said. “We’re hoping you could take a look at this plant and tell us if we’re missing something.”

Sulu didn’t even look at the flower’s analysis. He just looked at the picture of the plant and raised an eyebrow. “I know this flower. It evolved in an area where there wasn’t many opportunities for the spread of its pollen. It shoots out nectar, which is harmless, that’s mixed with pollen, which is not harmless. It sprays whatever comes too close to it and sends the creature into a frenzy. The hope is that the animal will either touch another one of the flowers, fertilizing it, or it will touch another animal, which will carry the pollen to a flower. It's not the best way to reproduce but it works.”

“Why was this stupid thing out where anyone could get sprayed?” I asked, irritated by the fact that Elise was now infected by weird space pollen all because some idiot left a flower out.

“Someone might not have realized it was going into its mating cycle,” he reasoned.

Jim cut in before I started to bicker with Sulu. “Alright, what do we do then? Can we wait for it to wear off?”

“Technically, yes, but anyone who came into contact with the nectar will go through a lot of pain. To send them into a frenzy and get them to spread the pollen, the plant essentially causes the animal to act without thinking. The longer they hold off on doing what their mind dictates, the stronger the urge. This causes stress and strain on them.” Sulu jerked his head towards Elise and Spock. “Look at Manning. Her entire body is tense. All of her muscles are clenched tightly. Holding oneself like that for long periods of time can be painful. My guess is she’s fighting off whatever urge she has. Spock is moving. He’s reacting. If you look at his face, you can tell he’s in a lot less pain than Manning.”

“So if Elise just did what the stupid pollen is telling her what to do, she’d wouldn’t be in so much pain?” I asked

Sulu nodded.

Jim didn’t say a word to us as he strode over to the quarantine cell and called in through the comm. 

“Elise, you need to stop laying there like that. Get up and do what the nectar is telling you to. It’ll help with the pain.”

She didn’t move.

“That’s an order, Manning.”

Still nothing. Spock was glaring at Jim now.

“Captain, I ask that you stop demanding things of my cousin. She is not in a position to do as you ask.”

“Sulu, how do we cure them?” Uhura looked at him desperately. 

He thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. There’s not much research on the pollen. Have you tried a hormone treatment?”

“Our scans don’t show a hormone imbalance. Honestly, the scans came back fairly normal, all things considered,” Prince told him, pulling up the scans on the screen. I glanced at the screen for a fleeting moment. A little alarm went off in the back of my head and I whipped back around to look at it. 

“Hold on. Sulu might be onto something. Look.” I pointed at one batch of numbers. “Spock’s adrenaline is in a healthy range but its high for just sitting in a cell.” After reviewing all the medical files, we found that each person had raised, but not dangerously so, levels of various hormones. 

“The computer didn’t alert us because it was in a safe range,” Prince muttered to himself. 

Jim clapped Sulu on the shoulder and smiled at him. “Couldn’t have done it without you, Sulu.”

Sulu just smiled and shrugged. “Just doing my duty, Captain.”

Prince and I got to work on a new medication that would target the different glands that were secreting the hormones and get them to calm down. We needed to return the glands to how they were before they came into contact with the pollen. Then, we mixed a second medication to combat and repress the hormones that had already flooded the infected people’s bodies. We mixed the two and ran a quick test and a simulation. When both had positive results, we looked to Jim.

“We have no way to know if these will actually work,” I said. “We have to have your permission to administer it.”

Jim took a shaky breath and then nodded. “Do it.”


	25. A Kiss

Kirk

Nurse Chapel and Bones were going to go into the cell with Spock and Elise while Dr. Prince went into the second cell. Bones made me get Spock to promise to not attack him before he would even consider stepping into the cell. That didn’t stop Spock from standing protectively between Elise and the door as Chapel and Bones came through the decontamination chamber. 

First, Chapel wiped down Spock and Elise’s hands while she wore gloves. That way, if they did touch anyone, they wouldn’t spread the infection. Bones prepped the hypos. When he came towards Spock, my First Officer gave a low growl and glared at him. Chapel took the hypo and administered it to Spock, injecting him in the neck. Spock blinked a few times before completely relaxing. A sheepish look came over his face.

“I have apologies I need to make,” he said before heading towards the door.

“Get cleaned off and changed first. Avoid touching anything,” Bones called after him. Nurse Chapel followed Spock, trying to convince him he could wait to apologize to Uhura. 

Shaking his head, Bones sat down at the foot of the bed. With a new found gentleness, he touched her leg and spoke. 

“Elise? Can you sit up for me?” he asked in a quiet voice.

Elise jumped slightly, startled. She raised her head to look at him. As though underwater, she rose. Her legs curled under her as she rested on her knees, never breaking eye contact with Bones. Suddenly, she lunged forward, hands on either side of his face, and pressed her lips to his. 

The room was silent behind me as we all watched the scene unfold. I glanced behind me, hoping Spock hadn’t seen it. I had to suppress a groan when I saw him staring, an unreadable expression on his face. I could only be thankful that he wasn’t still infected. We wouldn’t have been able to pull him off of Bones. 

Bones’ eyes were wide open and his hands were held away from her. That didn’t stop Elise. She kissed along his jaw to the juncture just below his ear. Pressing open mouthed, slow and languid kisses along the column of his neck, Elise fisted her hands in his shirt, holding handfuls of the fabric.

Bones closed his eyes and for a split second I thought he was going to reciprocate. I was on the verge of going in to break it up when he scrunched his eyes tightly in a grimace, placed a hand at the base of Elise’s skull to steady her, and jabbed the hypo into her neck.

Elise gave a yelp and pushed herself backwards away from him, rubbing at the spot on her neck. She blinked a few times until her eyes focused on him.

Pure horror and embarrassment marred her face. Elise’s hands came up and covered her mouth as she shook her head. 

“Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Elise-” 

She cut Bones off. “I’m sorry,” she said again before bolting from the cell. Elise sprinted past us all in the medbay and out into the hall. Chapel went after her, calling her name, with Uhura following close behind. 

I looked back at the quarantine cell and found Bones still sitting on the bed, staring off into space. He stood abruptly, cursing. Bones didn’t say a word to us as he stormed to his office and locked himself in. 

“Captain, I need to have a word with you. Privately,” Spock said.

“Let’s go back to my quarters. We can talk there.”

Leonard

She flinched at my touch, her whole body jumping. “Elise? Can you sit up for me?” I asked her. I tried to keep my voice quiet and even. 

Slowly, she pushed herself up onto her knees. The whole way, she kept her eyes fixed on me. Her hazel gaze was burning and strong, emotions raging in their depths. A war was being waged in her mind, I could see it. 

With no warning, Elise took hold of my face, a hand on each cheek and launched herself towards me. Her lips met mine in a fierce kiss. I fell back slightly, my eyes wide and my hands held back from her. 

I knew better than to kiss back. She was drugged. It was wrong. 

My stomach was tied in knots and I so desperately wanted to wrap my arms around her. I wanted to take her face in mine and kiss her as deeply and as passionately as I felt for her.

Elise peppered my cheek and jaw with light kisses. She followed the curve of my jaw to that sweet spot below my ear, just behind where my jaw met my neck. I had to hold in a groan as she sucked lightly and nipped at the skin. 

Her kisses became more demanding. Her tongue would lash out and touch my skin as she kissed my neck. Goosebumps rose on my neck as her warm breath puffed across my skin. She held tightly to my shirt, pulling me as close as she could. 

I closed my eyes, knowing I needed to stop her but not wanting to. I felt her shift on the bed. She was inching her way closer to me. I grimaced and finally moved my arm. I pressed the hypo to her neck, giving her the cure. 

Elise yelped in pain and fell away from me. Her hand was pressed to her neck, massaging at the spot where I jabbed her with the hypo. After blinking a few times, she finally looked me in the eyes again. 

Her whole face flushed red. Elise’s eyes went wide and she gasped, her swollen lips parting. She clamped her hands over her mouth and shook her head slowly.

“Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, her voice thick and tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

“Elise-” 

“I’m sorry,” she said again. Elise jumped off the bed and rushed out of the cell. She hurried past everyone in the sick bay and ignored Uhura and Chapel, who both followed, calling her name.

I sat there, not moving. 

I’d blown every chance I had with her. 

If I had just pushed her off, explained, and then given her the hypo, then things would have been better. Or if I gave her the hypo right away and didn’t give her a chance. Or if I had stopped her from leaving, I could have explained myself. But instead, like an idiot, I let her run off and I didn’t say or do a damn thing about it. 

“Damn it,” I hissed, getting up. I marched myself into my office and let the door shut behind me before I collapsed into my chair, head resting on my desk.

I’d messed everything up.

Elise

“I’m so stupid!” I said, laying face down on my bed. 

Chapel and Nyota were on either side of me. Chapel lounged casually, her head resting on my shoulder, while Nyota sat straight. She propped herself up with one arm and pet my head with her free hand.

“You’re not stupid. You were drugged. It’s not your fault,” Nyota comforted.

“He’s going to hate me.”

“No he’s not.”

“I bet he liked the kiss.” Chapel insisted. “Maybe if you just talked to him-”

“No!” I snapped. “There is no way I’m doing that.”

“You can’t just ignore what happened, Elise,” Nyota said.

“Watch me.”

Chapel groaned. “It’s just a kiss. A kiss isn’t a big deal.”

I looked at her with narrowed eyes. “It does when you kiss your boss while under the influence of some freaky pollen.”

What I didn’t say is that I was upset because I knew I had ruined any chance of ever being with Leonard. There was no way he would want to go on a date with me after I had jumped him in front of everyone like that. 

A knock at the door caught our attention. Chapel got up and opened the door. Spock stood there, looking tired but determined.

“Hello, Nurse Chapel. I need to speak with my cousin. Alone.”

Nyota slid off my bed and followed Chapel out of my quarters, giving Spock a quick peck on the cheek before exiting into the hall. 

“Go away, Spock. I don’t want to talk about what happened.”

“The Captain and I discussed the situation. He has asked me to speak with you about the possibility of you being in a relationship with Dr. McCoy.”

I rolled onto my back to better see him. “Has he sent you to ban me from dating him?”

“No, the opposite. He has asked me to remind you that there is no regulation stating that you and the doctor cannot be in a relationship. As long as your work is not affected, a relationship is allowed..”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, turning back onto my stomach and burying my face in my pillow. “He won’t want me after what happened.”

Spock paused before speaking. He sat on the edge of my bed, careful not to touch me. 

“Jim will be speaking with Dr. McCoy. Perhaps the doctor will have a discussion with you tomorrow on the matter. Perhaps you should you initiate the conversation. If he were to feel the same way you feel for him, would you pursue a relationship with him?”

“I have no idea. I’m so embarrassed.”

Slowly and gently, Spock placed a hand on my shoulder. “Then rest. Let this be a worry for tomorrow, cousin.”

Kirk

“Open the door, Bones. Stop being a baby!”

There was no answer. I knew he was in there but it didn’t seem like he was coming to let me in. Losing my patience, I typed in the override code and opened the door. 

Bones sat at his desk, head flat on its surface, and a bottle of bourbon sitting beside his face. He had one hand wrapped around the base of the glass bottle, clutching it tightly.

“I thought you saved that for bad days,” I said, entering the room and sitting on edge of the desk. 

“It is one,” he answered.

“Jesus Christ, just talk to her! You are obviously in love with her.”

Bones shot up, a panicked glint in his dark eyes. 

“Don’t be saying stuff like that, Jim. You know I’m not in love with her. It’d be inappropriate.”

I shook my head. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with your work, you’re allowed to be in a relationship with her.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Bones sighed. He slumped slightly in his chair. “She’s young, Jim. And out of my league. Why would she want to date me? I’m a mean and bitter man who’s already had one failed marriage and fled the planet because of it. That’s not a great track record. Elise is beautiful and smart. She’s like a rose and I’m like a dandelion. They just don’t go together.”

“They’re both flowers. I don’t see the issue. Why don’t you give her the choice? Ask her to get a drink with you and see where it goes.”

“Because if I did, her Vulcan cousin would tear me a new one,” he snapped.

“Spock is off talking to Elise right now about what happened. He said he was going to remind her it isn’t against regulation for you two to date,” I told him.

Bones snorted. “She’ll think I put him up to it.”

“Who cares? Talk to her tomorrow. Ask her out. Or if she asks you out, agree. You never know, you may have fun for once.”


	26. Can't Be Wrong Twice

Leonard

The next morning, I sat in my office eating breakfast, a muffin and glass of juice on my desk for Elise. I was about to give up hope on her coming when she slipped into my office mere minutes before our shift started. She didn’t say anything as she sat down and started to nibble on the muffin. 

“Elise -” I started. She quickly cut me off.

“I’m sorry,” Elise hurriedly said. The words tumbled over each other, almost like she couldn’t stop them. “I didn’t mean to kiss you like that. I really am sorry.”

A blush spread across her cheeks as she spoke. 

I decided to mess with her a little bit. I hoped that it’d lighten the mood. That’s always what Jim did so I had to hope it’d work for me. 

“Kiss me like that? How did you mean to kiss me?”

She turned even redder in the face.

“What I’m trying to say-” she said, only to stop when she heard the door make a small beep.

The door slid open to reveal both Nurse Chapel and Jim standing there.

“We’re in the middle of a conversation,” I snapped, giving Jim a pointed look.

“Sorry but I need you both right now. We got a distress signal from a planet not far from here. Right smack dab in the middle of their largest city, a epidemic has broken out. The Federation wants us to go help and work on building trust with the people of the planet. We don’t know much about them, but the higher ups think that the planet would be a valuable addition to the Federation. You’re both coming on the mission.”

“Me?” Elise asked. “Are you sure? I haven’t been on an away mission in a while.”

Jim nodded. “Bones once pointed out to me that you’d be good at negotiations and I agree. Even if I didn’t, I would want you to come too. You and Bones are my best and I want you working on the cure. So, go pack your bags. We’re going on a trip.”

Elise didn’t hesitate to do as he said. She was out the door and heading to her quarters in a heartbeat.

I scrambled up from my chair and followed after her. 

“Elise, wait up!” I called once we were in the empty hall. She paused long enough for me to catch up but didn’t stop all the way. “What were you going to say back there?”

“It doesn’t matter right now. Let’s just go do what we need to, okay?”

Elise

“Elise, wait up!” Leonard said, his voice carrying down the hall after me. I let him catch up to me. “What were you going to say back there?”

I almost faltered in my steps. I didn’t want to fess up to my feelings right before we went on an away mission. If he didn’t feel the same way, then I was stuck with him for the rest of the trip. At least on the ship I could change shifts to hide from him. No, there was no way I could admit I had been about to say that I wished our first kiss had been under different circumstances. 

Quickly, I made up my mind. “It doesn’t matter right now. Let’s just go do what we need to, okay?” I said.

A look flitted across his face. I couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or if I was imagining things. As quickly as the look was there, it was gone again. 

“Okay, we’ll talk later.”

As we packed, the ship made its way to the planet and went into orbit. Jim called for Leonard, Spock, Nyota, and I to meet him at the shuttle bay for prep and boarding.

Leonard was quiet as we boarded the shuttle. He sat down and began buckling himself in, his normal anxiety about flying seemingly replaced with a melancholy attitude. When Nyota gestured towards him with a questioning look, I just shrugged.

“Okay, have we got everyone?” Jim asked, the last one to board. “Great. So the city we are going to is pretty secluded and secretive, so we don’t know much about the culture. Uhura has done some reading and has a general idea about the language. She also knows a few things about the how they act, but not enough that we really have a handle on what’s going on. Spock, Uhura, and I are tasked with learning more about the culture and seeing if they would be compatible with the rest of the Federation. Bones and Elise, we need you two to make a good impression by curing their people.

“The planet has a lot of untouched natural resources that could really be useful to Starfleet so be on your best behavior, guys. Do whatever it takes, within reason, to get on these guy’s good side. I’m going to turn things over to Uhura and let her tell you what little she knows about this place,” Jim told us.

“Thank you, Captain,” she said. “The Rythians look fairly similar to humans. They have a few visible differences such as ridges on the bridge of their nose and along the edges of their ears. I believe I read that they’re eyes are different from ours as well but there was no description. Internally, there are numerous differences in regards to their organ types and blood types. McCoy, Elise, you two will want to speak with their medical team to learn more about them before administering any treatments. I know they have plenty of strict social rules but I don’t know what they are, unfortunately. They keep pretty quiet about their culture. The fact that they’re letting us come in and see what their lives are like is a huge deal. We’ll just have to be on our toes and be ready to adapt to whatever is thrown at us.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I piped up. “Let’s do this thing.”

Jim smiled at me before sitting himself in the pilot’s seat. Spock was already strapped into the co-pilot’s chair while Nyota, Leonard, and I were in the passenger seats. As we left the hanger, Leonard made a small noise and exhaled sharply through his nose. 

Feeling brave, I reached over and took hold of his hand.  He remained ridged and unmoving, but he actually managed to open his eyes and glance out the window to see the planet we were approaching. 

“I have a bad feeling about this,” he grumbled. 

I gave his hand a squeeze, which he returned. “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

“Last time you said that, you almost died.”

“I can’t be wrong twice in a row. It's a miracle I was wrong the first time. I am notorious for always being right, Len.”

That got him to crack a smile. I heard Nyota laugh from across the aisle. 

“You’re such a liar, El. You’re wrong all the time.”

I stuck my tongue out at her. “Maybe compared to you, Ms. Perfect. But think about me compared to Jim.”

“You’ve got a point there.”

“Hey!” Jim called back. “I can hear you!”

“Shut up and fly,” Leonard snapped. “I don’t want you killing us before we’ve even entered the atmosphere.”

“I can kill us after?”

“I assumed that was already the plan, considering you’re taking us to a disease ridden planet that we know nothing about. I feel like a blind man who’s just been told to build a house. It just ain’t gonna happen.”

That got a laugh out of me.

Jim flew carefully and landed us on the planet without any hiccups, though Leonard insisted that we all had almost died. 

The landing pad was just outside the city limits. The tall trees the surrounded us looked similar to what I had seen on Earth, though there was an eerie quiet in the woods. As I collected my duffel bag from the undercarriage compartment of the shuttle, I realized why it was so quiet: there were no birds. I couldn’t hear anything that sounded remotely similar to a bird call.

I set my duffle bag down to better adjust my backpack on my shoulders. When I went to pick my bag back up, it was gone. Leonard stood beside me, his own bag slung over one shoulder and mine over the other. He hadn’t said anything when he picked it up and he was refusing to look at me now. 

“I could have carried it,” I said.

“I can handle it.”

I chose not to argue. “Thanks,” I told him, bumping my shoulder against his. I could have sworn I saw a small smile on his lips as I passed him to catch up to Nyota, who was already making a beeline for the city.

Leonard

“So, when are you going to talk to her?” Jim asked. He was bouncing along beside me. Ever since we left the shuttle he had been full of energy, excited to make contact with an unfamiliar species

“I was going to this morning. Then you interrupted.”

“Sorry about that, but I needed you both on this mission. Maybe you can talk to her tonight.”

“I do not think that would be wise,” Spock said, having been listening in from behind us. “If the conversation was to go poorly, than the both of you would be forced into the uncomfortable position of having to work closely in a high stress situation with someone you are not on good terms with.”

“Damn it, that’s why she refused to talk more after Jim sent us to pack. Makes sense now.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Jim said. “She knows how important this is.”

“What’s so special about this species anyway? Why does the Federation want them to join up so bad?” I asked.

“The planet is known for their mining communities. There’s a lot of rare metals and stones that everyone wants to get their hands on. Every once in a while they’ll do some trading but its rare. If they joined the Federation, they’d be more likely to trade with us on a regular basis.”

A shout from ahead caught our attention. I could see a small group of beings beside a vehicle of sorts. One of the being raised its thin arm and waved to us, catching our attention. Elise waved back at them. 

“That kid better be right,” I grumbled. “This better go well.”

“Lighten up, Bones. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Just do me a favor and don’t be yourself. You’ll just piss them off.”

“Thanks, Jim.”


	27. We Can Do That

Leonard

“Welcome!” the Rythian man said, smiling at us with thin lips. All the Rythians had thinner lips than us. Their limbs were narrow and they all seemed slightly taller than the average human man. Uhura had been right when she said they had ridges on their noses and ears. From just between their brows down to just before the tips of their noses were short, thin ridges. They weren’t as deep set as a Klingon and they didn’t have the same markings on their foreheads either. The edges of their ears had many notches, or ridges depending on how you looked at them.

Their eyes were varying shades of purple. Some had irises so dark, they appeared black. Others had lilac eyes. Their pupils were unique as well. Instead of a single pupil, they had multiple small ones clustered together in the center of the iris. 

The man in the front offered us a smile, flashing his sharp teeth. “I am Klo. On behalf of the city, I am pleased to welcome you to our city.”

“And we are honored to be here,” Jim said. “I am Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. With me is Commander Spock, Lieutenant Uhura, and Doctors McCoy and Manning.”

Klo turned to Uhura and Elise and smiled warmly. “We have heard great things about you both, Doctors.”

Uhura blinked in confusion. “I’m sorry, I’m not one of the doctors. I’m Lieutenant Uhura. She’s Dr. Manning,” she said, pointing to Elise. “And that’s Dr. McCoy.” She pointed to me.

The smile on Klo’s face fell. “Surely you mean he is a nurse.”

“No, I’m a doctor.”

Klo’s frown deepened. “I see. Captain, perhaps you have another female doctor that could replace Dr. McCoy? You see, in our culture, men are rarely healers. It is considered a highly prestigious job that our brightest women hold. The only male healers I am aware of are all over seen by their wives. I fear that my people will feel uncomfortable being treated by a man.”

Before I could open my mouth to snap at him, Elise grabbed my hand and spoke. 

“Good thing I’m here then. I’m his wife. I can oversee everything he does and put your people at ease. Of course, there are other female doctors, but it would take time to return to the ship and collect them. I worry about how the delay will impact your people. And my husband is one of the best doctors I have ever seen. If we are to help your people, then he and I working together will be our best bet to find a cure.”

The gathered Rythians murmured among themselves. Klo raised a single eyebrow. I froze, my mind seeming to glitch. 

She was trying to help keep me on the mission. Sure, it was probably because she knew it was best for those who were sick and for the federation, but I was still touched that she was sticking her neck out for me.

“You are married?” he asked. “It was my understanding that mated humans share a last name.”

“Her patients already knew her by Manning,” I cut in. “We didn’t want to cause confusion, so we each kept our own last names.”

He nodded. “I see. Captain Kirk, is this true? These two are a bonded pair?”

I glanced over to Jim, hoping he would play along. 

Thankfully, he had kept his face passive. He smiled kindly at Klo. 

“That is correct,” he said. “They are the best medical team on the Enterprise. I was lucky that they came as a matched set when I was staffing the ship.”

“Well, if Dr. Manning is willing to oversee Dr. McCoy, then we will proceed as planned.” Klo gestured for us to follow. “Come, let me take you into the city.”

As we moved forward, Elise kept a tight hold on my hand, which I was not about to complain about. At the gates of the city, a handful of Rythian women offered to take our bags to our quarters. I handed off mine and Elise’s duffels as Klo spoke.

“Dr. Manning and Dr. McCoy are a mated couple. Please prepare new chambers for them.” He gave us an apologetic look. “We prepared individual rooms for you all since we were unaware that we would have a mated pair with us. They will ready a room for you both.”

I felt my stomach drop at his words.

That meant there would be only one bed.

I spared a quick glance at Spock and found him eyeing me with an unusually hard and calculating expression.

Elise

“Here is our medical center,” Klo said, leading Leonard and I to the door of a large and rather impressive building. 

After having arrived in the city, our group had broken apart. Nyota, Spock, and Jim had gone to speak with the elders of the city and learn more about the culture while Leonard and I were taken to see the ill.

“Can you describe the symptoms of this plague your people are facing?” I asked as Leonard opened the door and allowed me to step in ahead of him. I patted his shoulder in thanks.

“They each have a fever,” Klo said. “And a rash has broken out across their skin. They’re limbs grow weak and eventually they are unable to move. Most fall into a coma of sorts. Our healers give them water and nutrients intravenously, but the patients have still been dying. They waste away right before our eyes.”

“It sounds like their bodies aren’t absorbing the nutrients and they starve,” Leonard commented.

Klo gave him a surprised look. “Yes, exactly. Our healers have recently concluded exactly that. The only dilemma is we can not find the virus or bacteria causing this.”

“Well, my husband and I will make every effort to find a cure.”

“My people and I thank you both.”

With that, Klo left us with the healers, who took us on a tour of the facility. In each room we entered, there was at least one sick Rythian. Leonard gave each patient a quick scan and saved the results for us to look over together.

The healers, all of which were women, mostly ignored Leonard. All questions and comments were directed to me. I tried to tell them that Leonard was the CMO, but they wouldn’t have it. 

“He may be your superior on your ship, but here he is not. You are his wife and if he is to aid in healing, he must do so under your guidance,” I was told. 

“Yes, of course. Could you take Dr. McCoy and I to the lab where we will be conducting our research? I would like to begin reviewing the results of his scans.”

The head of the healers spoke up. “Yes, of course. Please, follow me.”

Without a word, I took Leonard’s hand and led him down the hall. His hand was warm in mine and as he squeezed my hand gently, I felt butterflies erupt in my stomach. I quickly squashed them, reminding myself that now was not the time for that nonsense.

The lab we were taken to was brightly light and filled with all the equipment we would need. I had known we would be supplied with medical tools and supplies, but I had still brought my bag with me. With all the times that my tools had saved lives, I wasn’t about to go anywhere without them.

“You will be working here. Is this to your standards, Dr. Manning?”

“Yes, this will work perfectly. If you’ll excuse us, we need to begin our work,” I told the kind healer.

She nodded her head enthusiastically. “Of course, Dr. Manning. If you are in need of anything, please let me know immediately.”

We smiled and waved as she stepped out, closing the door behind her. As soon as I heard her steps retreating down the hall, I let go of Leonard’s hand and started apologizing profusely.

“I am so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Elise-”

“I couldn’t have you being shipped off because I need your help and I just sorta started talking without actually having a plan. I am so stupid. Jesus Christ, Spock is right. I need to keep my mouth shut sometimes.”

“Elise, hold on-”

“I know this has to be so awkward for you because of what happened in quarantine and we haven’t even talked about that yet and I really am sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I swear-”

“Elise!” Leonard snapped, finally getting me to shut up. I could see laughter in his brown eyes and a smile playing at his lips. “It’s fine. Seriously. Thank you for helping. We’ll make this work, okay? Just keep the act up. We can do that, right?”

I swallowed thickly. “Yeah, I think we can.”

“Good. Now, let’s look at these results.”

Kirk

“I thought Bones was going to shit himself, no joke.”

“Captain, now is not the time to discuss this.”

I dropped onto the couch beside Spock, causing him to scoot closer to Uhura, who was being crowded into the arm of the couch. “The Rythians are done with us for the day. What else do we have to do besides talk?”

“We could write down everything we saw,” Uhura suggested, doing exactly that on her PADD. Spock had his out as well and was recording notes.

“You guys are lame. Come on! That was hilarious out there! Elise just goes grabbing his hand and he looked like he’d been struck by lightning! God, he’s whipped already and they aren’t even together.”

Uhura perked up at that. “Are you saying that he has feelings for her?”

“What, does that surprise you?” I asked. “Haven’t you seen the way he follows her around? He’s like a love sick puppy, I swear. He was beating himself up so bad after that kiss. Kept saying that she’d never want to talk to him again.”

“She was saying the same thing! Elise was convinced McCoy hated her!” Uhura laughed. “God, they need to get their heads out of their asses.”

I reached over and ruffled Spock’s hair. “Might have happened already if this one hadn’t interfered.” He swatted at my hand.

Uhura smacked his shoulder. “What did you do?” she snapped.

“I simply made the point to Elise that Leonard was older than her and divorced. I had concerns about their compatibility.”

“Don’t worry Uhura. I straightened Spock out,” I said. “He didn’t know that Bones’ ex cheated multiple times and that the reason she filed for divorce was ‘neglect.’ You know, because Bones was busy working and making the money she liked to spend.”

Spock glared at me. “Dr. McCoy was also a difficult partner, I am sure.”

“Yeah, but he’s a lot friendlier now,” I said, defending my friend.

“It’s not like Elise is an easy person to date. She’s pretty aggressive. Turns most people off,” Uhura added. “She also doesn’t let people get too close. I don’t think she ever really learned how to express her emotions in a constructive way.”

I snorted. “Yeah, she told me about how the last guy she dated said she was ‘emotionally stunted and distant.’ Which, I mean, she can be, but that's not necessarily a terrible thing. She’s just guarded. And if you ask Bones, he thinks she’s bubbly and sweet and all things good. The guy acts like she hung the damn stars in the sky.”

“I will concede that he would not be the worst partner for my cousin,” Spock said. “But that does not mean I believe the relationship to be wise.”

Uhura leaned her head on his shoulder, snuggling into his side. “If its a mistake, it's not the worst one she could make. Let her live her life, Spock. You can’t keep her from dating forever.”

“Yeah, and if anything, you should be thanking McCoy for helping you out on that front.”

He looked at me, one eyebrow raised in question. “Could you elaborate on that?”

“I’ve heard crewmen talking. Apparently, everyone is too scared to ask anyone in medical on a date. They’re all convinced that Bones will hypo them into next week if they mess up the relationship. He’s really protective, you know?” I paused to laugh. “Some of the nurses are getting pretty sick of having to be the ones to make the first move.”

Spock looked pensive for a moment. “Perhaps Dr. McCoy has been more useful than I originally thought.”


	28. Whipping Boy

Elise

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know. I don’t get it.”

Leonard and I had been reviewing the scans for hours. The sun had already set and night had fallen over the city. We sat hunched over at our desks, flicking through the screens and looking for anything that stood out. Yet, all the scans showed were what we already knew: the infected were malnourished and had a fever. We even tried inputting the scans into one of my diagnostic tools and it came back with nothing. 

“Is there anything that connects all these people? Like, did they all eat at the same restaurant and got food poisoning?” I mused aloud.

Leonard shrugged. “Possibly. Hard to say. We could ask the healers to do some research into the patients’ personal lives.” As he finished speaking, he yawned and stretched his back. 

“I’ll talk to the healers. You go get some sleep,” I told him.

“I’m fine. You look more tired than me. You should go get some shut eye.”

“Listen to your wife and go to sleep.”

He rolled his eyes at my joke. “I’m still your boss, kid, so shut it.”

Before I could think of a witty retort, one of the healers entered the room. She smiled at me, blatantly ignoring Leonard.

“Dr. Manning, has any progress been made?”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. We’re doing everything we can. We can treat the symptoms, just like you have, but that won’t help use get to the root cause of the illness. Is there any connection between the patients? Have they traveled somewhere recently? Or have they eaten something? We need to find the commonality between them all.”

“I am not sure. I can enquire into the matter. In the meantime, I can return you both to your quarters, if you would like.” When she saw me raise a brow, obviously wondering why she was offering that, she hurriedly continued. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I heard you suggest to your husband that he get some rest. It is understandable, of course. This work can be tiring for men.”

I stood from my chair and stretched my arms above my head, working the kinks from my shoulders. “We can’t do much more until we have an idea of what is causing this. Will your healers continue to treat the patients and keep them comfortable while research is done?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Good. If there are any updates or if a patient takes a turn, have someone come and get us.” I put my hand out for Leonard to take. He laced his fingers with mine as if it was the most normal thing in the world and not something we were doing to put on a show for a group of aliens. “Time for bed,” I told him, smiling.

“If you insist, darlin’”

My heart fluttered at the pet name. 

The room we were taken to was spacious. A large bed rested against one wall, flanked by dark, wooden side tables which were furnished with lamps. The blankets were in shades of green, the pillows the same. There was also a sitting area with a large plush couch, an armchair, and a low coffee table. A door in the back corner stood open, revealing the large bathroom, complete with a deep tub. On the floor, at the foot of the bed, were our bags.

“Is this room to your liking?” the healer asked, concern clear on her face.

I smiled warmly at her. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

Once she had left, I stepped further into the room and flopped down onto the bed, my arms splayed on either side of me.

“I’m dead,” I said. “I have died. The reaper has come for my soul.”

“That tired?”

“Didn’t get much sleep last night,” I said without thinking. I froze, realizing he would know I hadn’t slept because of what had happened between us in the quarantine room just yesterday.

“I didn’t either.” I heard him huff and drop onto the couch. “Jim kept me up half the night.”

“I was dealing with Spock,” I said, sitting up. 

Leonard was laid out on the couch, one arm tucked behind his head and the other draped across his face. One of his long legs was draped over the arm of the short couch and the other rested off the side, his knee bent and his foot flat on the floor. Overall, he looked awkward and uncomfortable.

“We can share the bed, you know.”

He moved his arm slightly off of his face and peered over at me with one eye. “What?”

I shrugged. “I mean, we’ve shared a bed before. And if they come to get us, it might look weird if we aren’t both in the bed.”

Leonard was quiet for a moment, considering what I had said. With a groan, he sat up.

“You have a point. I’m going to change into my pajamas. You should do the same, you brat. Your clothes could have disease on them. Don’t want you tracking that into bed.”

I looked down at my uniform and laughed. “I didn’t think about that. Alright, I’ll go into the bathroom and change. Back in a second.”

Leonard

Elise grabbed her duffel and ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I ran a hand over my face, trying to calm my nerves.

“You’ve shared a bed before. It’s not a big deal. Stop making it a big deal,” I mumbled to myself. Bending down, I grabbed my bag from the floor and began digging through it in search of the pajamas I packed. It took me a minute to find the flannel pants and old Academy shirt I had thrown in the bottom of the bag.

Moving quickly, I changed into them, the whole time keeping one eye on the bathroom door. I didn’t much want Elise walking out and catching me in my drawers. 

Just as I finished zipping up my bag, I heard a quiet knock on the bathroom door.

“Is it safe to come out?” Elise asked.

“As safe as it’ll ever be.”

I heard her snort as she opened the door. Elise stepped back into the room and tossed her duffel beside my bag. She wore a loose tank top, a sports bra visible through the over sized, cut off arm holes. The top was nearly cut all the way to her hips. She’d donned a pair of cotton shorts that rode up her thighs as she climbed into the bed.

Elise fluffed the pillows and burrowed down under the blankets while I hesitantly sat at the foot of the bed. She threw back the blankets, leaving my side of the bed open and bare, and patted the spot next to her.

“Come to bed, oh husband dear.”

I glared at her. “You’re a brat, kid, you know that?”

“I’ve been called worse, cowboy. Come on. You need to sleep.”

While I did as I was told and settled on the bed, Elise reached for the lamp beside her and flicked the light off. 

We laid in silence: me holding perfectly still and straight, her wiggling around and adjusting, a pillow wrapped in her arms.

I groaned and turned on my side to face her. “Are you always like this when you’re trying to sleep? Because it's annoying.”

“You’re annoying.”

“Very mature. Go to sleep.”

With a huff, she snuggled further down in the blankets and nuzzled the pillow she held between us. Elise mumbled a quiet insult that I couldn’t quite make out, and then fell silent. 

The sound of her steady, even breathing lulled me to sleep. 

I slept dreamlessly and peacefully until a knocking at the door startled me awake. 

Groaning, I sat up, the blanket falling off of me. Elise still slept beside me, lying face down and sprawled out on the mattress. Her tank top was rucked up, leaving her lower back and ribs bare. I reached over and shook her shoulder, trying to wake her. I wanted her awake so I didn’t have to face one of the healers alone. Afterall, they didn’t want to talk to me. They made that clear.

“Elise, wake up. Someone’s at the door,” I whispered.

She made a small noise, but made no indication that she was going to move. Rolling my eyes, I got out of bed and pulled the blanket back up over her.

“Fine, lazy bones.”

Elise made another noise and knocked the blanket off. 

“Too hot,” she mumbled.

“Pull your shirt down.”

“Too hot,” she said more forcefully.

A knock sounded at the door again.

“Damn it,” I mumbled, stomping over to the door. I wrenched it open, glaring at the person on the other side. 

The woman blinked at me and took a step back. “Dr. McCoy, I am sorry to have woken you. Is your wife available?”

“She’s sleeping,” I said. “Is there something wrong?”

She glanced past me to the bed, eyeing Elise carefully. “It would be better to discuss it with your wife present. I want to ensure she gets the correct information.”

I scowled at the implication that I couldn’t relay the message but still opened the door further for the healer to come in. She nodded at me and stepped over to the couch, where she carefully sat herself, perched at the edge of the seat.

I went to the bed and leaned over Elise, gently touching her shoulder as I did.

“Doll? Got someone who wants to talk to you. Come on, get up.”

Elise grumbled and tried to bury her head under a pillow. I pulled it from her hand, earning a disgruntled groan.

“Come on, Elise.”

“What’s going on?”

I allowed myself to pet her head softly, all the while telling myself it was a part of the act. “One of the healers wants to talk to you. Can you get up for me?”

With a final sigh, Elise rolled over and sat up, rubbing at her face sleepily. She scooted to the edge of the bed, pulling a blanket with her, and stood. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she padded over to the sitting area.

“She’s not a morning person,” I told the healer. 

She nodded understandingly. “It is hard work to care for the ill. I am amazed you are not as tired as she is.”

“He is. He’s just better at hiding it,” Elise said matter of factly.

I smiled at her, touched that she stood up for me.

“I come bearing news.”

“Good or bad?” I asked.

The healer glanced at me. “Both. A patient has passed. It happened suddenly and we were unable to do anything to help. We did not even have time to collect you both.”

Elise nodded, a pensive look on her face. “Would we be able to perform an autopsy?”

The healer looked confused. “I do not understand this word.”

“I am asking if we can open the body and search their internal organs for any sign of the illness. It could give us more insight into how this disease is killing your people.”

We received a quick shake of the head. “Desecrating a body is strictly against our religion. To even ask the family of the deceased if you could perform this procedure would be offensive.”

“We understand,” I said, “But this would really help us in better understanding what is killing your people. Please, could you ask the family?”

“I simply can’t.”

Elise straightened in her seat. “What if my husband asked? If they are offended, then we can say that he simply doesn’t know better. Since he’s a man, your people would be more understanding of the social blunder, considering they already expect him to mess up.”

“So I’m the whipping boy?” I scoffed. “Seriously? That’s your idea?”

“Yes, it is.”

The healer nodded along with her words. “No, this is a good idea. It would cause less of a disruption if you were to ask, Dr. McCoy. Likely, if you were the one to ask and they became offended, they would not escalate the situation past your wife.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Fine. I’ll do it. I’m hoping this isn’t the good news you had for us.”

“No, the good news is we found a commonality between the patients. They have all swam in the same lake within the past month.”

That caught my attention. Elise smiled and looked at me excitedly. 

“That is good news!” she said. “If we got a sample of the water then maybe we could find what’s making these people sick.”

“I can have someone sent to collect the sample,” the healer offered.

“Make sure they don’t touch the water,” Elise said. “Dr. McCoy and I will speak with the family and, if they allow us, conduct the autopsy.”

“Sounds like a plan. Let’s get dressed and head out.”

Once the healer left the room, Elise grabbed up her duffel bag and stepped into the bathroom. She left the door slightly cracked open so she could talk to me.

“So it could be some sort of waterborne illness,” she said. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re probably on track. If we can get that autopsy, then we can probably get it pinned down. Have we considered chemical contamination in the water?”

“Blood tests would have shown it I would think.”

I grimaced. “Yeah, you’re probably right. We’ll have to keep trying.”

“You dressed?” Elise asked.

“I’ve got pants on.”

She opened the bathroom door. “Good enough,” she said, smiling at me. Elise already had her dress on and was running a brush through her hair. She tossed the brush onto the counter and began pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Should we have consulted Jim before deciding we were going to ask for an autopsy?”

“He’d tell us not to push our luck.”

“He also said we had to figure this out. If it means stirring things up a little, then so be it. At least in my opinion. You’re the boss, though. If you’re against it, we won't do it.”

I shook my head. “No, I trust you. I’m with you on this.”

We discussed how best to approach the family while we finished getting ready. We had to squeeze together over the sink while we brushed our teeth, exchanging words each time we paused to spit. 

Back in the bedroom, she tossed me my shoes while I gathered up our PADDs and comms. I pulled her backpack over my shoulder and held the door for her. Elise smiled at me and thanked me while she finished zipping up her boots.

We found the family waiting for us in the lab where we had been working the day before. There were two adults, one an older woman and one a younger man, huddled together, comforting each other. The two children clutched at the man’s clothes and sniffled quietly.

“Hello,” Elise said. “I am Dr. Manning. This is my husband, Dr. McCoy. He has been assisting me in finding what is plaguing your people. I want to extend my apologies that we weren’t able to prevent your loss.”

The man nodded. “We understand, Dr. Manning. You have done your best, I am sure. This is all a part of the Gods plans, I am sure. My wife was devout and I am sure has already joined her father in the afterlife.”

“They were close, my daughter and husband,” the older woman said. “They will be glad to be reunited.”

I swallowed thickly. This was going to be harder than we thought. 

“Could the children step into the hall for a moment?” I asked. “We have some questions and we don’t want to upset them.”

The man nodded again and whispered to the children to do as I asked. 

When the door closed, Elise started in with her first question. 

“Are you aware if your wife swam in the lake just outside of the city?”

“Yes, we took the children there a week ago. We all swam.”

“Did she drink the water?” I asked.

The man thought for a moment. “Possibly. I am not sure.”

“That’s fine,” I said. “I have another question. Would you allow us to perform what we call an autopsy on your wife’s body?”

The older woman cocked her head. “What is this?”

“Leonard,” Elise said in a warning tone, just as we had planned.

I pretended to ignore her. “This is when we open the body and try to find the cause of death by examining the internal organs. It is a common practice on our planet.”

“Our religion states that the body can not be desecrated before the cremation,” the husband stated firmly.

“I understand, but I was hoping that you could make an exception. You see, if we were to perform the autopsy, we could possibly discover what killed your wife. Then, we could use that knowledge to save all the other people who are sick.”

Elise crossed her arms. “Leonard, this is highly inappropriate.”

“I have to agree,” the man said.

The older woman put her hand up. “Wait a moment,” she said. “I think this man may have a good idea. While it is seen as wrong to do such a thing to a body, it is more wrong to refuse to do something that will save the lives of others. Remember your teachings: all must be done to aid in the betterment of the people. In the end, as long as all of my daughter is returned to me for the burning, then I believe the autopsy should be performed.”

“We would return your daughter to just how she is now. All of the incisions would be sealed. It would be as though the autopsy never happened,” I insisted.

The man looked to Elise. “Is your husband telling the truth?”

Elise gave a sigh. “Yes, he is. The autopsy would greatly help us. I didn’t want to ask because I knew it went against your beliefs. If we were to perform it, we would do everything we could to return her to you in perfect condition. All of her organs would be intact and we would close the body.”

The room was silent for a moment.

“How many have fallen ill?” the husband asked.

“The rooms of this facility are filled,” Elise told him. “And those that are sick grow weaker by the second.”

He nodded. “Do the autopsy. My wife would have wanted to help.”


	29. A Celebration

Kirk

“Are you insane?” I snapped, marching myself into the lab.

Both Bones and Elise looked up from the body that was laid out in front of them. I had to avert my eyes from the bloody mess.

“I mean, yeah, probably,” Elise said. “But you’re one to talk. You’re always doing crazy things.”

“I’m not going around and offending the religious community of a planet the Federation is trying to strengthen ties with.”

“What about that time...” Bones started.

I put my hand up and spoke over him. “We don’t discuss that, Bones, shut your mouth.”

“The family gave us permission to do this, Jim. And we need to do it if we want to have any hope of saving these people.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And you couldn’t have run this past me first?”

“Didn’t have time.”

“Fine. I’ll deal with the fallout. For the most part, people are just mad you didn’t bring it up with their religious leaders. They would have prefered to have someone bless the body before hand and stay to watch the operation.”

Bones shook his head. “I wouldn’t want them in here. Wouldn't want them to catch whatever killed this woman.”

“Any ideas of what it is yet?”

Elise shrugged and reached back into the body cavity, purple blood smearing up her arm. “Comes from the nearby lake, so don’t go swimming.”

I grimaced. “Noted.”

“Jim, put some gloves on and come here. I need you to hold this muscle back,” Bones said. “I need two hands to remove the stomach.”

“Ew, no. Have your wife do it. She likes gross things. If she didn’t she wouldn’t have married you.”

Elise glared at me, though she was smiling. “And to think you were the best man at our wedding. I would expect more from you, Jimmy.”

I laughed as she went around the table to Bones’ side to help him. He smiled down at her, a softness in his eyes. 

“And remind me, who was the maid of honor?” he asked.

“Spock. He looked lovely in the dress.”

That got Bones to crack, his nose wrinkling up with how hard he was laughing. Then, suddenly, they both froze, staring in shock at something inside the body. My blood ran cold at the looks on their faces.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

In a hushed voice, Bones said, “The stomach just moved.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” I came up to their side and looked at the stomach, wanting to see what they were talking about. Before I could say more, something shifted inside the stomach, pressing against it from the inside and making it bulge.

“A parasite,” Elise said. “How did we not think of that?”

“Let’s pull that sucker out and get a look at it.”

I backed away quickly. “That’s my que to leave. Good luck, you two.”

Elise

The three-foot long worm squirmed in the bowl on the table. Its ghostly white skin was nearly translucent, giving us a clear view of its purple veins. The healers looked at the thing in disgust, some even retching as the worm gave a shrill squeal.

“This is what is making your people ill. They each have contracted a parasite from the lake. The tests done on the water by your people showed unknown microscopic eggs were in the lake. It is our belief that the parasites are causing the hosts to fall into a coma, keeping them from removing the parasite. The parasite then steals all of the hosts nutrients and lays eggs inside of them. If the host was aquatic, then as the body decomposed, the eggs would be released into the water to find a new host. It seems the parasites have made a jump from the aquatic life of the lake to your people,” I explained. The healers nodded along in understanding. “Those that have already fallen ill will need to be operated on to remove the parasites and any eggs. Anyone else who has swam in the lake or possibly come into contact with the water from it should take medication to flush out the eggs and parasites.”

“Thank you. Both of you,” one of them said, acknowledging Leonard. “We never would have thought to perform an autopsy. My understanding is that your Captain is currently speaking with the city council on your findings. I would suggest you both rest as I am sure the council will want to celebrate your discovery tonight.”

With that, everyone jumped into action. One of the healers took Leonard and I back to our room, gushing the whole way about how amazing our methods were.

“I look forward to the celebration, doctors. Rest well.”

“One second,” Leonard said, catching her before she left. “Could you tell me where I could get some food. Elise and I haven’t eaten for a while.”

Worry crossed her face. “I will have food brought to you both right away. Please, rest.” The healer scurried away, closing the door behind her.

I pulled the elastic from my ponytail and shook my hair out. Walking towards the bathroom, I grabbed up my duffel bag.

“I’m going to get cleaned up. I feel disgusting.”

“Don’t take too long. You need to eat and I want to clean myself off too.”

I stuck my tongue out at him as I slammed the door shut.

“You’re a child!” Leonard called, laughing. 

After quickly cleaning up, I changed into some loose sweatpants and an old tshirt that I had brought for any downtime I would have. Stepping out of the bathroom, I found Leonard resting on the couch, reading something on his PADD. I dropped down next to him and, feeling bold, curled up against his side, resting my head on his shoulder.

“Your hair is all wet,” he grumbled. He didn’t make a move to pull away or knock me off.

“You’ll be changing soon, so what does it matter?” I laughed. “Whatcha reading?”

He angled the PADD so I could see it better. “I found an article about a new medicine that’s being tested. Want to read with me?”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Too tired. Read it to me.”

Leonard gave a low chuckle, the sound vibrating through his whole body. My heart started to race at the sound.

“Fine. But only because you’ve had my back since we got here. Any other time I would have told you no,” he said.

“Liar. You’d have done it anyway.”

“You’re right. Don’t tell anyone. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Yeah, the reputation of being a stick in the mud.”

A small knock at the door caught our attention. 

“It’s open,” I called.

Leonard sat the PADD down on his lap as a young woman stepped into the room carrying a tray of food. Following her was a man who held two garment bags.

“I have brought your meals,” she said, smiling at us. “And Aya has brought clothes for the dinner tonight. The council has called for a banquet to honor you both. All of the city’s elite will be in attendance.”

“Shoes and ordainments are in the bags as well,” the man said. “I hope they are to your liking.” He hung the bags on a hook by the door while the woman placed the tray on the low table in front of us. We thanked them both as they left.

As soon as the door closed, I squealed and ran towards the garment bags, excited to open them and get a look at the clothes.

“Hey! No!” Leonard snapped. “Food first.”

I pouted. “I see you’re sticking to that reputation.”

We picked over the finger foods that were brought to us. I took a liking to a small green fruit while Leonard was partial to the cheeses. Both of us looked warily at what appeared to be a tentacle. 

He nudged it with a pen he pulled from his bag. “Come on, eat it,” he jokingly prompted. “Protein is good for you.” 

“You work out more than me. You need more protein.”

Leonard grimaced as I pushed the plate towards him. “I’m not eating it.”

“Well, neither am I,” I said. “Think Jim would eat it?”

We sat in silence, staring at the tentacle. Leonard’s face broke into a wicked grin.

“Let’s find out.”

Leonard

We stood outside of Jim’s door, me holding the plate and Elise bouncing excitedly as she knocked on his door.

“Calm down! I’m coming!” he yelled from inside. When Jim opened the door, he revealed Spock and Uhura sitting on the couch behind him. “Ah, the happy couple have graced us with their presence.”

“We brought you a treat, Jim,” Elise said, leading the way into his suite. 

“Yeah, we think you’re going to like it.”

Without even questioning us, Jim snagged the tentacle and popped it into his mouth. Uhura made a disgusted expression while he chewed. Jim had a pensive look on his face when he swallowed. 

“Not much flavor. And a bit chewy.”

“That was disgusting to watch,” Uhura said, starting to look green in the face. “What even was that?”

Elise snorted. “No idea. We just wanted to see if Jim would eat it.”

“What the hell, guys! You tricked me! Married life has changed you.”

I flipped Jim off.

“Instead of bickering, perhaps we should begin preparing for the dinner tonight?” Spock cut in.

Uhura got up and brushed off her dress. “Come on, Elise, we can get ready together in my room. I need help with my hair.”

“As long as you help me with my makeup.”

The girls left us to get ready. Jim had me go and collect my clothes and get dressed with him and Spock for “bonding time,” as he put it. 

Really he just wanted to complain more about the tentacle and to try to convince me to talk to Elise about the kiss. Thankfully, he let me get cleaned up before he talked my ear off.

“I’m just saying, you need to talk to her about it and about how you feel.”

“Or maybe you can mind your own business.”

I unzipped the garment bag and pulled the shirt out. The soft fabric was a dark, forest green color. It was thin, almost like linen, which was a bit too flimsy for my liking, but I wasn’t about to be disrespectful and refuse to wear it. A gold strip ran up the front and split at the deep v-neck. The gold continue up over the shoulders and looped around the back of the neck. It didn’t have any sleeves, meaning my arms would be bare. The bottom hem was long, almost tunic like. Inside the bag were a pair of slim fit black trousers, black sandals, and gold bangles. Etched into the bangles were strings of symbols that I didn’t know the meaning of.

The outfit wasn’t something I would choose for myself. Not at all. But when I saw that Jim and Spock had similar tunics, I didn’t feel as embarrassed. 

Spock’s was a deep maroon color with a higher neckline. Encircling the collar was silver embroidery that matched the details of the bottom hem. Jim’s was blue, the same shade as the blue of his eyes, with bronze embellishments. 

Jim snorted as I pulled on the tunic. 

“A little low cut, isn’t it?” he questioned.

“Shut up.”

“Showing off that pretty chest of yours? Doesn’t that go against your delicate Southern sensibilities?”

I glared at him. “Shut it. I’m only wearing it because I have to.”

He continued to goad me as we went to collect the girls. The whole time, Spock was smiling ever so slightly. 

“What would your mother say if she saw you right now?” Jim ribbed me.

Before I could answer, the door to Uhura’s room opened and she stood in the doorway. She wore a floor length, sleeveless purple dress that had a high collar, similar to Spock’s. Black embroidery lined the neck and the bottom hem. From her ears hung delicate black stones that glistened in the light. 

“Thought I heard you guys,” she said. “Someone come in here and tell Elise that her dress is fine. She’s trying to refuse to wear it and it's gotten to the point where she’s saying she isn’t going to the dinner. You know, the dinner that is in honor of her.” Uhura turned over her shoulder to yell the last sentence back into the room. 

“Shut up, Nyota! Your dress at least covers everything!”  

Elise turned the corner and stood behind Uhura and gestured down to the dress she wore. Elise’s dress and my tunic were matching. They were made of the same green fabric and had the same golden embellishments. Her dress had thin straps, unlike my tunic, which at least somewhat covered my shoulders. The neckline was low cut, like my own, the difference being that her’s was far lower than mine. The bottom of the V ended just below her sternum and a single golden strap bridged across her chest, keeping the two sides of the V from splitting apart. As Elise moved her arms, bangles that looked similar to mine jingled around her wrists.

“Look at this thing! I’m practically flashing everyone! And the back isn’t much better,” she snapped, turning around to reveal the open, slouching back. 

Overall, she looked beautiful. Yes, it was revealing and it wasn’t what she usually wore, but she still looked stunning. My mouth went dry as she turned back around, the dress flaring out around her ankles and her loosely curled hair swishing around her bare shoulders. Her large eyes looked at each of us pleadingly, as if she was begging us to take her side in the fight over the dress.

“Elise, its a traditional dress. You have to wear it,” Uhura scolded. 

“Yeah, come on, Elise. You can’t let Bones be the only one who’s showing some skin,” Jim said. “You two are even matching. Isn’t that cute?”

“Well, they’re ‘ _ married _ .’ In the Rythian culture, couples wear matching clothing and matching bangles to show they are committed to one another,” Uhura explained to us before turning back on Elise. “Stop complaining and let’s go.”

Spock frowned. “I have to agree with Elise. The dress is inappropriate.”

“Bones will protect her from anyone getting handsy. Don’t sweat it, Spock.”

Elise rolled her eyes before catching my attention. She gave me a small smile, a sparkle in her eyes. “Len, you’ve been quiet. What do you think?”

I swallowed thickly. “Um… well…” I paused and coughed. “We don’t want to insult the Rythians.”

A look flitted across her face, one that I couldn’t read. 

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll wear it. Let me get the shoes.” Elise stalked back out of sight, her shoulders squared. 

Jim bumped his shoulder against mine, leaning up towards my ear and whispered, “Not the answer she was looking for, genius. Should have told her how good she looked.”

Elise came back with her sandals on, her dress swishing around her ankles as she walked. 

“Let’s get this over with,” she said. 

Uhura stopped Elise for a moment to touch up her makeup, even taking the time to add on a quick layer of lip gloss, and then our little group was out the door and off to the feast.


	30. Drunken Confessions

Leonard

“She’s very beautiful,” someone said off to my side. I turned and found a man sitting in the seat next to me. He smiled at me, his ridged nose twitching as he gestured to Elise. “Your wife. She is a beautiful woman. You are a very lucky man.”

I looked to where he was pointing and saw Elise dancing with Spock. He spun her around as she giggled, her cheeks rosy and her smile grand. Spock was even smiling a little as he watched her. I felt my heart soften at the sight of the two of them.

“Yes, she is. No idea what I did to deserve her.” I put my hand out for him to shake. “Leonard McCoy. Nice to meet you.”

He took my hand. “Yellic. It is a pleasure to meet you as well.” Yellic dropped my hand and fidgeted slightly. “If I may ask, how did you meet her? If I am overstepping a boundary, please do tell me. I mean no offense. I am a xeniologist, you see, and I study alien culture. With how unique and diverse your species is, I am simply curious.”

“Nah, you’re fine. I don’t mind you asking questions. Elise and I met through Starfleet.”

He nodded. “Was it difficult for you to enter the medical field? I am not sure how the profession is viewed on your planet.”

“It wasn’t hard for me,” I told him. “Where I come from, men and women have the same chance of becoming a doctor.”

“I see. That is interesting. In our culture, men are more likely to take a job that involves speaking and emotions, such as politics or selling goods. Women tend to take jobs that involve facts, such as healing and teaching,” Yellic explained. “There are always outliers, of course.”

“Makes sense. There’s outliers in every culture.”

Yellic and I fell silent, watching those that danced. Spock had handed Elise off to Jim, who in turn handed Uhura off to Spock. Jim dipped Elise low while she beamed. As he swung her back up, her hair flew forward around her smiling face and I couldn’t help the flutter in my stomach. 

Yellic had been right. She truly was beautiful. 

“Does it bother you to see her dance with other men?”

I shook my head. “Those guys are family. She and Spock are actually blood cousins on their mother’s side and Jim’s a good friend of ours. I’d trust them with my life.” I glanced at Yellic. “Don’t tell them I said that. Their egos are big enough as it is.” 

Yellic snorted. “I wouldn’t dream of betraying your trust, Dr. McCoy. My lips are sealed. Though, I must ask, why do you and Dr. Manning not wear rings?”

I cocked one eyebrow. 

Yellic quickly began to explain. “The reading I’ve done says that in many Human cultures, it is customary for Humans to exchange rings as signs of being bonded to one another. I have not seen you or Dr. Manning wearing rings.”

“Ah. Gotcha,” I said. Thinking fast, I made up an explanation. “Rings can easily get lost on away missions. We didn’t want to risk it, so we left them on the ship. It’s safer.”

“I see. Well, may I make a suggestion? Keep a close eye on your wife during this banquet. While you and Dr. Manning are dressed in the traditional clothes of a couple, the markings on your arms bands do not indicate that you are bonded.”

My head whipped around at that. “What? What do you mean?”

Yellic took my arm and pointed at the writing on the bangles I wore. “There may have been a mix up of some sort or perhaps whomever gave it to you did not think it appropriate to give you bonding bands, seeing as they are sacred in our culture. These bands indicate you are taken, but not in a permanent way. There are some who view these bands as pointless and will only respect those that indicate a bond. Many will see your wife as a desirable mate, even if for only one night.” Yellic paused and looked up at the dance floor. “It seems one has already moved in on her.”

Looking to where Yellic gazed, I saw a man talking to Elise. They stood at the edge of the dance floor by one of the massive columns. He stood too close for my liking, but Elise didn’t look nervous. The man reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Elise took a step back as her smile hardened.

I didn’t say anything as I stood and made my way around the table. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I wasn’t even thinking. All I wanted was to get to Elise and make that guy back off. 

Elise

“You are very beautiful, Dr. Manning.”

I smiled at the man, Rews was his name. 

“Thank you. My husband would agree,” I shortly said. 

Rews reached out and fingered a strand of my hair. With a gentle touch, he tucked it behind my ear, his fingers dragging along the skin of my neck. I felt my skin crawl as I took a step back. 

“Would you care to dance with me?” Rews asked. “Or perhaps we could take a walk together?”

“There you are, darlin’,” I heard a deep voice say from behind me. An arm wrapped around my waist and I was drawn into Leonard’s chest. He turned me around as his other hand came up to cradle my face. Without hesitation, Leonard kissed me deeply.

There was passion and desire behind the kiss, along with a hint of desperation. As soon as the surprise had worn off, I kissed him back, moving just as hungrily. Wrapping my arms around the back of his neck, I allowed one hand to play with the hair just at the back of his neck. 

And just as fast the kiss started, it ended. 

Leonard pulled back, pressing his forehead to mine. “I didn’t know where you’d run off to,” he murmured.

Turning, he looked at Rews, still holding me close to his chest. “Hi there, I’m Leonard, Elise’s husband. You are?”

My stomach plummeted. 

He’d only kissed me to get the creep away from me. I kept my face passive, something I had learned to do at a young age, and kept hold of Leonard. I didn’t need him knowing I was upset.

“I am Rews.”

“Nice to meet ya’, pal. If you’ll excuse us, I haven’t gotten to dance with my wife yet.” And with that, Leonard whisked me off to the dance floor.

He took one of my hands in his and placed the other on my lower back, just below where the cut out in my dress stopped. Leonard pulled me close and began to sway us to the music, gently leading me in a simple waltz.

“Are you alright? Was he bothering you?” Leonard asked, concern clear on his face. His brown eyes were round and soft, genuine worry in their depths. Even though I was feeling low from my revelation, I was touched by the fact he so desperately was trying to protect me.

“I’m fine. Thanks for the help, Len.” I ran my hand over his shoulder, admiring the tunic he had been given. “This is pretty.”

“Not really my style. Kinda revealing, in my opinion.”

I snorted. “I think that's the point. Everyone is dressed fairly racey.”

Len leaned in close to my ear and whispered, “Maybe this is secretly a swingers party and we’re just the last to know.”

I snorted in an unladylike way. “You wish.”

He quirked an eyebrow at that. “Whatcha mean by that?”

“Well, seeing as our marriage is a sham, a swingers party would be the only way you’d be getting laid tonight,” I shrugged my shoulders. “Wouldn’t blame you if you played that neglected husband card on some pretty young thing here. Talk to the right girl and she might take you home with her for the night,” I said. My mood was quickly souring and I feared Leonard would hear it in my voice. 

His grip on me tightened a hair. “I’d rather be dancing with you than chasing skirts.”

I rolled my eyes. 

“It’s true. And besides, you’re the prettiest woman here. Right here, with you, is exactly where I want to be.”

Any retort I had prepared died on my tongue. My throat went dry and I gaped at him. Leonard’s face quickly turned red as he dropped his eyes to the ground, avoiding looking at me. Before I could think of anything to say, Leonard cleared his throat.

“I need a drink.”

“Me too,” I managed to squeak out. 

He led me from the dance floor, a gentle hand on my back. Together, we went to a nearby table that was laden with drinks of varying colors. I selected a pale blue one while Leonard opted for a yellow. With a smile, we clinked our glasses against each other’s and then drank.

The drink had a fizz to it that tickled my tongue and a sharpness that burned my throat. With a slight couch, I pulled the glass away from my lips. 

“That is a strong drink,” a nearby man said, gesturing to my glass. “If you want something that is not as strong, I suggest the yellow or orange drinks.”

I shook my head. “Nah, I just had to get that first sip out of the way. I’ll be fine from here on out.”

“Yeah, you should see this one drink,” Leonard said with a laugh. “Trust me, she knows how to put ‘em away. ”

Jim approached, having overheard our conversation. A devious grin was plastered on his face. “Oh yeah, Elise can drink. If she wasn’t so tiny, she could probably out drink me.”

I raised one brow. “If I wasn’t so tiny?”

“Yeah, the alcohol gets to you faster because you’re smaller.”

“This sounds like a challenge, Kirk.”

Leonard chuckled. “You’re in trouble now, Jim. She means business when she uses the last name.”

Jim’s smile only grew. “Oh, you’re on.”

Leonard

While I was thankful Jim was distracting Elise from the things I had said on the dance floor, I was horrified by the amounts of alcohol the two of them were drinking. The table we sat at was covered in glasses, all of which were empty.

The banquet hall was mostly empty as well, the banquet having run its course. Spock and I had both tried to convince the others it was time to turn in for the night, but they all refused. Jim and Elise were ‘drinking to the death,’ as they said and Uhura was egging them on. Every time they would finish their drinks, she’d be ready with more.

What finally got me to snap was when Elise tried to climb up to sit on top of the table.

“Nope, we are not doing this again. You have to stop climbing on things. You’re cut off.” I tried to take the glass from her but she moved it out of my reach, holding it out away from me.

“No, don’t be like that, cowboy,” Elise whined, her words slightly slurred.

“Yeah, come on, Bonesy. Loosen up.”

I glared at Kirk as I stepped in closer to Elise to nab the glass from her hand. As soon as I took the drink, her arms were around me and her face was buried in my neck. It was like a mouse trap: I took the bait and the trap had snapped shut.

“You smell good,” Elise mumbled against my skin.

I felt a blush rise on my face for the second time that night.

“Thanks, kid. I think it's time for you to go to bed and sleep this off.”

“Lovey stage!” Uhura crowed, reminding me of when we had been back at the bar on Earth and she said Elise went through stages when she was drunk. We had apparently just hit the stage where she was ‘lovey.’

I gave Uhura and Spock a panicked look. “What’s the next stage? I can’t remember.” 

“She either goes to sleep or throws up,” Uhura said.

Spock nodded along. “With the amount she’s drank, I am concerned it will be the latter.”

Groaning, I set the glass down while wrapping my free arm around Elise. I lifted her off the table and settled her on her feet. With her arms wrapped around my neck, I was forced to bend down to her height.

“Fantastic,” I grumbled. “Just what I needed.”

“You’re such a good husband, Bones,” Uhura joked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight!” Elise chimed loudly. She finally let go of me to wave at the others. 

It took some coaxing, but I managed to get her back to our room. As soon as she was inside, Elise threw herself face down on the bed. I heard her mumble something into the blankets but couldn’t make it out.

“What’d you say?”

She turned her head. “I’m tired. Are you tired?”

“Yeah, I am. Come on, you need to get changed,” I told her, picking up her bag and holding it out to her.

As she stood up, she pulled a face before dodging into the bathroom. I heard a retching noise as I followed her.

Elise was huddled in front of the toilet as she threw up into it. Hurrying forward, I swept her hair out of her face and held it back to keep it clean. When she finally finished throwing up, Elise sat back and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Sorry. That was probably pretty gross for you.”

I shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me. I’ve seen worse. And honestly, do you know how many times I’ve sat with Jim while he puked his guts up?”

Elise snorted. “More times than you could count probably.”

“Exactly. Now, here’s your bag. Get dressed.”

She whined and shook her head. 

I crossed my arms. “Seriously, kid? You were complaining all night about the stupid dress. Change clothes.”

“No, cuz then the night’s over and I don’t want it to be.” Elise tried to struggle to her feet. I took her hands and helped her up. “The start of the night sucked but the end was really nice.”

“It ended with you hugging a toilet.”

“It ended with you being really nice to me. And I like that,” she responded. Elise leaned against me to steady herself. She closed her eyes and looked a little green as I held onto her. After a moment, she relaxed in my arms. “You still smell good.”

“Damn it, woman.” Suddenly, an idea struck me. “I’ll give you one of my shirts to sleep in if you agree to get changed and go to bed. You need to sleep this off, Elise.”

She blinked a few times before nodding. “Can I have the one you slept in before?”

“Sure, as long as you agree to stop fighting me on going to sleep.”

“Deal.”

I went back out to the bedroom and found my sleep shirt lying on the bed. I took it back to Elise, who promptly pulled it on over her dress. Reaching up under the shirt, she undid the dress and let it fall to a puddle on the ground. Luckily, the shirt was long enough that it fell mid way down her thighs, keeping her covered. Elise dug through her bag, pulled on her shorts, and let me guide her to the bed after she finished brushing her teeth.

“I’m going to get changed. You get tucked in, okay?”

She nodded sleepily.

I hurriedly put on my pajama bottoms and began digging through my bag for a different shirt to wear, cursing when I couldn’t find one.

“What’s wrong?” Elise asked in a small voice.

“Only shirts I have are my uniform shirts.”

“Want this one back? 

I shook my head. “No, its fine. Do you…” I swallowed thickly, nervous. “Do you mind if I sleep shirtless?”

It was Elise’s turn to shake her head. “I don’t care.”

Once under the covers, Elise scooted closer to me, resting her head on my shoulder. I froze as she laced her fingers with mine.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“For what?”

Elise sighed. “Being so nice to me. I could sorta pretend we were together, and that was nice.”

I closed my eyes tightly, shaking my head. “Elise, you shouldn’t say stuff like that right now.”

“I know.” Her hold on my hand slackened. “I know you don’t feel that way and that’s okay. After this is all over, I’m okay pretending it didn’t happen. And if you want me to transfer, I will. But it's been nice pretending these past few days.”

I tightened my grip and didn't let her pull her hand way. “That’s not why I’m saying that. You’re drunk right now and I don’t want you saying something you don’t mean or will regret. This is a conversation we should have when sober and awake. That way, we know we mean what we say and we know we’ll remember it after.”

Elise acted like she didn’t hear me. “Will you still be my friend when we get back to the ship?”

It was pointless to argue with her. She was too far gone to understand anything I told her. I decided it was best just to humor her for now.

“Yes, of course. I will always be your friend, kid. Even if you do yell at me in  _ my _ medbay.”

She giggled at that.

“Here, lift your head,” I told her. As she did what I said, I tucked my arm around her. When Elise laid back down, her head rested just above my heart and my arm was wrapped tightly around her, holding her to me. I felt her sigh and relax in to me, her hand coming up to rest on my bare chest.

“Goodnight, cowboy.”

“Goodnight, kid.”


	31. Phasers At The Ready

Elise

I woke up warm and comfortable. I went to roll over but found I couldn’t move. Cracking my eyes open, I realized I wasn’t cuddled up to a pillow. 

I was lying on Leonard.

My head was on his chest tucked up under his chin. One of his arms was around my shoulders and his other hand up behind his head. He was shirtless, and for a moment I panicked, trying to remember if anything had happened between us. When I felt that I was wearing my shorts and what appeared to be Leonard’s shirt, I relaxed a little. 

After a moment of racking my brain, I remembered the bits of the conversation I’d had with Leonard the night before. I groaned low back in my throat, my face flushing red with embarrassment. 

At the sound, Leonard sturred, his grip on me tightening.

“Morning,” he said in a deep, gruff voice that caused butterflies to erupt in my stomach. “How’re you feeling?”

“Like death.”

“Sounds about right,” he laughed. “Do you have a headache or anything?”

I reached up and touched my temple, nodding slightly. “Yeah, a bit. Not terrible though.”

Len patted my shoulder. “Alright. Let me up and I’ll get you something for it.” Getting out of bed, Leonard went over to his bag, dug through it, and returned with a pill for me. 

“I’ll get you a glass of water, hold on a sec-”

I dry swallowed it before he could finish his sentence.

He snorted and sat back down on the bed. “So…” he started, “Can you remember last night?”

My blood ran cold. I had a decision to make: tell the truth or lie and pretend last night never happened. 

“Why?” I asked, deciding to play it cool until I had a feel for what Leonard was looking for. “Is there something you don’t want me to remember?”

Leonard seemed taken aback by my response. His mouth opened and closed for a moment, like a fish out of water, and then he said, “You didn’t answer the question.”

“Neither did you.”

Before Leonard could think of something to say, the door flew open and Jim burst in looking disheveled and panicked. Spock followed, looking much calmer and far more put together. When he spotted Leonard and I sitting in bed, Leonard shirtless and me wearing his shirt, Spock’s eyes narrowed. 

“Are we interrupting?” he asked in his stilted voice.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jim cut in. “We’ve got a distress signal from a nearby planet. Get dressed, we have to go.”

I sat up straighter in the bed. “We still have patients to check on. You take Leonard and I’ll stay here. Just pick me up after you handle the emergency.”

“No,” Spock said firmly. “You are not to remain here by yourself. Regulations state that members of the crew can not be on an unfamiliar planet alone.”

“Yeah, and you can’t handle all these patients by yourself. I’ll stay with you. Jim can do without us for a little bit.”

“Oh really, Bones? I can go without my two best doctors when dealing with an emergency?” Jim snapped.

Nyota appeared in the doorway and pushed her way past the boys. She planted herself on the couch and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Huffing, I got out of bed while pulling the shirt as low as I could to cover myself. I ushered Jim and Spock into the room and closed the door.

“Please, make yourselves at home. It’s not like I have a hangover or anything. Continue your arguing, it's great for my headache.”

“I’m not in the mood for your sass, El,” Nyota sighed in a tired voice. “I am exhausted. I’ve been with the council for the past three hours trying to convince them that we absolutely have to leave to handle this distress call. They kept saying it would destroy relations between them and the Federation.”

“We can’t have that,” Jim said.

“I know. That’s why I’ve been talking with them for three hours,” she snapped. “They are willing to continue negotiations with the Federation as long as Elise and McCoy stay to finish their work. At first they wanted all of us to stay but I talked them down. Kept telling me that the rest of the Enterprise crew could handle it without us. I reminded them that Kirk was Captain, Spock First Officer, and me a top xenolinguist. Told them the three of us absolutely had to be with the crew. Apparently, the Rythians are scared that their healers aren’t equipped to handle the parasites all on their own. They can’t figure out how to screen people for the parasite without straight up cutting them open.”

“That settles it,” Leonard said. “Elise and I are staying. Once you handle the issue, you pick us up. Everything will be fine.”

“I do not like this. I wish to remain behind as well, Captain,” Spock said, his brow creased.

Jim shook his head. “I’m going to need you, Spock. I know you want to keep an eye on Elise but she’ll be okay. Bones will have her back and she’s tough, we both know that.” He turned to address me. “Did you bring a phaser with you?”

I shook my head. 

“Alright, I’m leaving you Spock’s. Bones, I know you didn’t bring one either so I’ll leave you mine. You guys probably can’t carry them when you’re in the hospital so keep them in here where you can get to them easily. Keep your comms on you at all times and reach out to the Enterprise if you need anything. Got it?”

Leonard and I nodded.

“Good. Get dressed and get to the hospital. The faster you get done handling the parasite, the faster you guys can get back to the ship.”

Without hesitation, I was up and grabbing my bag. As I carried it to the bathroom, I heard Leonard grumble, “Perfect timing as always, Jim.”

When I stepped out of the bathroom, the room was cleared besides Leonard, who was sitting on the bed putting his shoes on. I dropped my bag back on the floor next to his bag and went to the side table where I had left my bracelet the day before. As I put it on, being sure that the blue stone was situated on the back of my wrist, I started to talk to Leonard.

“Thanks for offering to stay with me. That was nice of you.”

“I may not act like it sometimes, but I actually am I nice person.”

I gave him a small, tired smile. “I know that, Len. I just appreciate you looking out for me.”

His cheeks were tinged pink. Gruffly, he said, “Hm. Well, you’re welcome.”

Together, we saw Jim, Spock, and Uhura back to the shuttle.

“We don’t think this will take too long,” Jim told us. “Looks like the crew on the Enterprise exaggerated how bad the situation is. The planet we’re going to is having some civil unrest. They need some light medical help and someone to facilitate negotiations. I’m guessing the longest it’ll take will be a few days. Probably less. If everything goes as planned, we’ll be back to pick you up tonight. Think you can handle yourselves until then?”

“Of course we can,” Bones said. He tossed an arm around my shoulder and gave Jim a crooked smile. “Think of who you’re talking to.”

“I know exactly who I’m talking to. I’m talking to a skinny girl who takes on three dudes at a time in a bar fight and a country boy who makes it a habit to insult everyone he comes into contact with. And somehow, you two have become the face of the Federation to an alien species we are trying to build relations with.”

“It is not an ideal situation,” Spock said, nodding along with Jim’s tirade.

“We’ll be fine. They like us here,” I insisted. “As long as Leonard and I keep doing our jobs, then the Federation should have an in to form an alliance.”

Jim sighed. “Keep your heads down and don’t do anything stupid.”

“We will endeavor to do so, Captain,” I said, mockingly saluting him. He looked warily at my grin.

“Sure you will.”

Spock and I hugged, silently saying goodbye. Uhura pounced on me right away, hugging me tightly. Behind me, I could hear Spock badgering Leonard.

“I trust you will stay close to her and protect her should the situation arise.”

“Nothing’s going to happen, Spock,” Leonard told him.

“Let us hope. But you are severely outnumbered and neither of you have formal combat training. I have concerns about you both remaining here without the Captain or myself to accompany you.

“Worried about me, Spock? I’m touched.”

Spock gave a sigh and I could nearly hear his irritation. “Now is not the time for jokes, Doctor. Keep yourself and my cousin safe. That is an order. Understood?”

Uhura distracted me from hearing Leonard’s response. 

“I’m sorry for us bugging you guys this morning,” she said. “From the looks of things, it seems like you and Leonard have worked things out.”

I snorted. “Not even close. Woke up this morning and right off the bat he was checking to see if I could remember last night. I couldn’t tell if he wanted me to remember or if he hoped I forgot.”

“Why would he want you to forget?”

“I may or may not have said some things in my drunken state.”

Uhura’s eyes sparkled. “Such as?”

I felt myself starting to blush. “Such as I had liked pretending I was with him, but that I knew he didn’t feel the same and it was okay. I asked him if he’d still be my friend and if not, if he wanted me to transfer.”

“And he said?”

“That’s what I can’t remember. I was pretty out of it.”

She playful slapped my arm and shook her head. “You should have asked him this morning! He could have been telling you he did have feelings for you!”

“Spock! Uhura!” Jim called from the shuttle. “Time to go!”

Uhura fixed me with a stern look. “Talk to him. Stop beating around the bush.”

“Uhura!” Jim yelled again.

“I’m coming!” she snapped. I received one last hug before she went to join Spock and Jim on the shuttle. 

Leonard and I stepped back as the shuttle took off from the pad. I could see Uhura waving at us through the window as Jim navigated up through the trees. In the blink of an eye, they zipped away.

“Where’d you put the phasers?” I asked.

“I put them in the side table drawers by the bed. One on each side for both of us.”

I nodded. “Perfect. Alright. Let’s get to work.”


	32. Hug For Danger, Kiss For Safe

Leonard

We spent the day together helping to scan for parasites. After the first few patients, we fell into a rhythm. It seemed like the Rythians had the hang of the process but they still insisted we stay to oversee.

“We want to be sure we are performing the procedure perfectly,” they told Elise when she said she wanted to go back to our room for lunch. 

“We’ll be back after we eat,” she said.

“You can eat with us. We have many questions we would like to ask you.”

Not wanting to offend, we stayed with the healers through the meal, discussing other Earth medical practices.

“We’ve used vaccines for thousands of years,” I told one curious healer. “Because of them, we were able to eradicate certain diseases.”

“Fascinating. We only recently began using vaccinations and have found mixed results. Perhaps your wife would look at our research and pinpoint something we have missed?”

“Yeah, I’m sure she would.” I paused as my comm chirped. I pulled it from my belt and answered.

“McCoy here.”

Jim’s voice filtered through the speaker, a tension in his tone. “Hey Bones, do you have a second to talk?”

“I’m having lunch with some of the healers,” I said, glancing at the Rythians that were blatantly listening in. “Is it an emergency or can I call you later?”

“Everything’s fine. I checked in on your cat and had a question about his food. Call me back as soon as you have a second.” With that, he hung up.

I felt my brows furrow as I put the comm back on my belt.

I didn’t have a cat. Never had. And even if I did, I wouldn’t have been able to take it on the Enterprise. Regulation didn’t allow pets. Jim was allergic to cats too, so if I somehow had a cat on board, he wouldn’t have gone near it.

Something was up and I didn’t like it.

“I have to use the restroom. I’ll be back in a minute,” I said, excusing myself from the table. The healers nodded and went back to eating. 

I stopped to check in with Elise, who was standing at a lab table looking at a sample while munching on some more of that green fruit she liked. Two healers watched her intensely.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

“I’m running to the bathroom. Be back in a second, okay darlin’?”

She nodded. “Alright. And remind me to call Spock later. He said he had to talk to me about something. Said it could wait until we were done in the lab.”

My blood ran cold. If Spock was calling her too with a flimsy excuse and instructions to call later, there was definitely something wrong.

Instead of heading to the bathroom, I found a quiet room away from the rest of the healers. With shaking hands, I called Jim back.

“Go for Kirk.””

“It’s me. What’s going on? What cat are you talking about?” I asked.

“You’re free to talk?”

“I stepped away,” I told him. “I’m alone. You can talk freely.”

He sighed. “Oh thank God. I was hoping you’d pick up that something was weird and call be back sooner rather than later. Okay, so here’s the deal. We got to the planet where the distress signal came from and they said they hadn’t sent anything. They explained to us that their systems glitch sometimes and send out distress signals that get picked up by nearby ships visiting the Rythians.”

“Sounds like they have a bad distress call system. Why don’t you guys help them fix it and then come back for Elise and I?”

“Scotty did look at it. He said it's in perfect shape. He suspects that its being hacked and someone is forcibly deploying the distress signals. I want you to go get one of the phasers I gave you and start carrying it. Just hide it under your clothes or something. When you have a chance, pack your things and be ready to go. As soon as the Enterprise is in orbit, we’re going to try to beam you up.”

I shifted nervously, adjusting my grip on the comm. “You think it's that serious.”

“Yes. I do.”

“Alright. Are you warping here?”

“No,” he said. “Scotty was taking some time to do work on the core while we were planet-side. He didn’t have time to get everything put back in place before we had to answer the distress call. Engineering is working on it but I don’t know when it will be ready. We should get to you guys in a few hours, okay? Just be careful.”

We said our goodbyes and I slunk out of the room, heading towards the stairs. I took them two at a time to the ground level and hurried out of the building. It was a short walk to our quarters but the whole way, I was convinced I was being stared at. Everyone I passed smiled at me and asked where Elise was. I’d give one word answers, not fully making eye contact.

Once at our room, I saw that it had been cleaned and the bed made, meaning someone had been in our room. Hurrying past the bed, I ripped open the drawer in the side table. 

My breathing stopped.

The phaser was gone. 

I skirted the bed and checked the other drawer and found it empty as well. 

I checked under the bed, in our bags, between the couch cushions, in the bathroom; I checked everywhere. I couldn’t find the damn phasers.

Scrabbling at my belt, I called Elise.

“Manning speaking,” I heard her say.

“Hey doll. Quick question. Remember that holo-book I put in the side table? Beside our bed?”

She paused for a beat. “Yeah, the one about the civil war, right?”

I breathed a sigh of relief: she was playing along.

“Right. I was going to grab it and bring it to show some of the healers, since so many are interested in Earth history, but I can’t find it. Did you happen to move it?”

“No,” she said tentatively, sounding nervous. “Did you look around? Maybe you were reading it this morning and left it somewhere.”

“I did look around. It’s fine. I’ll find it later. Be back in a second.”

“Alright, see you soon.”

I pocketed the comm and quickly started scooping mine and Elise’s things back into our bags, not bothering to sort out her and my things. Whatever I picked up got shoved in whatever bag was within reach. Once I’d packed everything, I set the bags by the door for easy access and headed back towards the medical facility. 

Elise smiled at me when I came back in the room. She sat at a table away from the healers with her back to the wall, keeping all the Rythians in her line of sight.

“Hi sweetheart. Why don’t you come and help me look at these vaccine files?”

I sat down next to her and pulled the PADD towards myself to read what the Rythians had been working on. Elise put her hand on my knee and squeezed gently as she leaned up to kiss my cheek.

With her mouth so close to my ear, she took the chance to whisper, “Hug for danger, kiss for safe.”

As she sat back, I wrapped an arm around her and hugged her to my side. She stiffened in my grasp and took in a sharp breath. After I let go of her, Elise reached into her backpack and pulled out her personal PADD. She pulled up a note taking screen and typed a message.

**_“Do we need to leave now?_ ** ” she asked me.

I took it and typed back.  **_“Enterprise is on its way back. It will be a few hours. I’ve packed the bags. We are ready to go as soon as they arrive._ ** ”

Elise gave a discrete nod before putting the PADD back in her backpack. 

Elise

I couldn’t focus on the information I was reading. The formulas and lab write ups scrolled across the screen in front of me but I wasn’t taking in anything that I was seeing. It didn’t seem like Leonard could focus either because more than once, I would ask him a question and he’d blink at me in confusion before requesting I repeat what I said. The healers had asked us a few times if we were alright, having noticed we were acting off. 

“Are you feeling well, Dr. Manning? Do you need anything?”

“I think I’m just tired. We didn’t get back to our room until late last night and I didn’t get to sleep in today,” I said, trying to brush off their concern.

“Perhaps you should rest. Or would you like to take a break for a meal?”

Leonard’s comm chirped and he excused himself to the hall. When he returned, he smiled at me and wrapped an arm around me. “Hey darlin’, how about you head back to our room and take a nap? I’ll finish with the write up on the vaccines.”

“You sure?”

He nodded. “Of course. As long as it’s okay with everyone here,” he said, looking to the healers. “She’s already told me what needs to be written. I can finish it and hand it off so you guys can know what we see from your vaccine results.”

The healers thought for a moment before agreeing. “As long as you write exactly what Dr. Manning has instructed.”

“Yes, of course. Let me walk her back to our room and then I’ll return to finish up.” Leonard picked up my backpack and slung it over his shoulder before taking my hand. “Be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

We were given peculiar looks but we ignored them, instead focusing on getting out the door and back to our room. Once were in the hall, Leonard tightened his grip on my hand and picked up the pace. I had to jog to keep up with him.

“Jim says they are a few minutes out. The Rythians proximity alert will be going off soon to let them know the Enterprise is coming back. We need to be ready as soon as the Enterprise is back in orbit. They’ll try to beam us up but with how dense the outer atmosphere is, Scotty is worried they won’t be able to. They may have to send a shuttle.”

I nodded along. “Alright. Let’s get our bags and get out of here.”

At our room, Leonard handed the backpack off to me, which I strapped on to myself. He hefted our duffel bags over his shoulder before quickly taking my hand again and leading me away. 

I was surprised that he was holding on to me, since there was no one around, but I wasn’t about to complain. Having his hand in mine was comforting. I wanted to keep him close, especially when things were going sideways, and it was nice to think that he did too.

We turned a corner and entered a courtyard. Our steps on the cobblestone floor echoed in the large space. We made it halfway across before a group of guards stepped out of the shadows, blocking our path.

“Were we going the wrong way?” I asked, trying to play it off. “Sorry about that! We’ll be off.”

I pulled Leonard back the way we came. When I turned around, I saw another group of guards blocking the door.

We were trapped.

“Please come with us,” one of the guards said, shifting his grip on the large rifle in his hand.

Suddenly, I was pushed behind Leonard as he backed us towards a wall, keeping himself between the two groups of guards and me. I held tightly to his sleeve.

“Gentlemen, there’s no need for the guns. How ‘bout y’all put them down and we talk about this?” he said, his accent thickening as he growled at them.

“Drop the bags and come with us.”

“I’m not liking you pointing that gun at us. Put the damn thing down and tell us the meaning of this.”

Without another word, the guard shot a single bolt at Leonard. There was a flash of light from the barrel of the gun and it struck Leonard right in the chest. He fell like a stone.

I screamed and dropped next to him, pressing my fingers to the side of his neck and searching for a pulse. I found it within seconds, beating steadily.

Baring my teeth in a snarl, I looked up at the guards. “What the hell is wrong with you? You could have killed him!”

He didn’t say anything as he fired on me. I felt a sharp pain in my chest and suddenly, everything went black.


	33. Chapter 33

Kirk

“She still isn’t answering?” I asked Spock. 

He shook his head. “And Dr. McCoy? Has he answered?”

“No. The Rythians say they are both still in a lab doing research,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. I could feel Sulu’s and Chekov’s eyes on me as they stared with worry. Uhura was still at her station trying to get through to Elise or Bones. We had wanted to fly a shuttle down to pick the pair up but a freak storm had blown through, making it dangerous to fly. “Scotty is trying to boost our engines enough to beam them out but it doesn’t seem likely. At this point, it’s a waiting game.

“Captain,” Sulu said. “I just got word from one of the science officers that the storm has lessened enough that we could pilot a shuttle down.”

I nodded in thanks. “Uhura, hail the Rythians and get clearance to land a shuttle near the city.”

“Sir,” she said. “I’m getting a weird message from them.”

I swiveled my chair to face her. Spock hurried over to her station to look over her shoulder even though he couldn’t read the language on the screen. 

“It looks like they are saying Elise and Leonard are piloting a shuttle back to the Enterprise,” Uhura furrowed her brow. “Do either of them know how to operate a shuttle?”

“Bones doesn’t know how to pilot a shuttle. He’s been putting off learning until I make him. Spock, does Elise know how to fly?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

I faced forward again. “Chekov, run a scan.”

“Yes, sir.”

In the blink of an eye, a small shuttle appeared on the screen before us. 

“Any signs of life?” I asked. 

“Yes, sir. But the readings are strange,” Chekov said. “They do not match that of a human. The creatures inside are too small.”

“Elise’s and McCoy’s comms and badges are definitely in that shuttle though,” Uhura said. “I’m picking up their signals.”

Before I could say anything. The shuttle lurched violently. A plume of orange fire spouted from the side. Pieces of metal flew off and the shuttle crumpled. The hunk of twisted metal fell away, spiraling towards the ground below.

The bridge was silent.

No one moved. 

“I lost their signal,” Uhura said quietly. “They’re gone.”

Taking a shaky breath, I spoke. “No.”

“Captain-”

“Quiet, Mr. Sulu,” I snapped. “Elise and Bones were not on that shuttle. The life signs were wrong and if they had their comms on them this whole time, one of them would have answered. The Rythians are up to something. I don’t know what, but they are. Until proven otherwise, we are to assume both Dr. Manning and Dr. McCoy alive and in the custody of the Rythians.”

“I agree, Captain,” Spock said. “I believe the best course of action is to begin diplomatic discussions with the Rythians.”

I shook my head. “We can’t let them know we know. What we are going to tell the Rythians is that our ship sustained damage on our trip back here. We say that in a few days, the ship will be fixed and we’ll be out of their air space. If they ask about the discussions we’ve been having about them joining the Federation, we tell them that a Federation diplomat is in route to meet the Enterprise and talk with them. Does everyone understand?”

“And the plan to get Elise and McCoy back is what?” Uhura said.

“We start scanning the planet. We search for signs of Human life. Once we pinpoint the location, we either launch a shuttle and go get them or Scotty will try to beam them up again. With a few extra days to work on it, he may be able to boost it enough to get through.”

“I’ll get on sending the message,” Uhura told me.

“Good. Sulu, Chekov, you two work on the scan. Spock, with me. We’re going to see what we can do to help Scotty.”

Leonard

I woke with a blinding headache. Groaning, I pressed a hand to my chest where I felt a dull pain. Slowly and with care, I sat up and looked around.

I was in a small cell of sorts. The walls were made out of a silvery energy that boxed me in. The cell itself was sparsely furnished with only metal framed bed and a small toilet, which was exposed for everyone to see. 

I moved to get up when a voice stopped me.

“Hey, be careful. You were stunned pretty badly.”

Turning to me right, I saw that the cell beside me was inhabited. A young man sat on the floor with his back resting on the bed. His pointed ears reminded me of Spock’s and for a split second, I thought he was a Vulcan. As soon as he smiled, I knew he wasn’t. He pushed his dark shaggy hair away from his eyes.

I went back to looking around the cell. “Where am I? Who are you?”

“You’re under the city,” he said. “The Rythians built a massive underground bunker to house all the people they steal. I’m Sol. A Romulan, as you can see. My ship stopped by here for some trading. In exchange for some minerals, I helped them fix one of their defensive systems. They thought I was so useful, they kept me.”

“Leonard McCoy,” I said, introducing myself. “And what are you talking about? Why are they keeping us? And did you see a girl with me? She was there when they shot me.”

“Alright, slow down. One thing at a time. First, the girl. Is she a skinny little thing? Brown hair and blue Starfleet uniform?”

“That’s her.”

Sol nodded. “Yeah, she’s here. They came and collected her before she woke up. Probably had questions for her or something. And to answer your other questions, the Rythians are keeping us because of their religion. Their scripture says that you have to do whatever you can to help the masses.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that. How does that mean kidnap people?” 

“We were useful to them and could be of further use in the future. They know we aren’t going to stay willingly so they trap us down here. The walls of the bunker are only a few inches thick but they are specially made to keep signals from going in or out, so no scans can find us. They fake your death by putting any tracking device you wear in a shuttle along with some sort of animal to trick the scanners. The shuttle is rigged to explode before it reaches your ship.” He shrugged. “Always seems to work. There’s maybe 20 or 30 of us here, as long as no one has died without me knowing. Our cells are down here along with a bunch of interrogation rooms, labs, and workshops. Those take up the most space.”

Shouting caught our attention. A group of Rythians rushed past our cells carrying another on a stretcher. The Rythian that was being carried clutched at a gaping hole in the side of his neck. Purple blood streamed from between his fingers as he desperately tried to stop the bleeding. 

There was more yelling and what sounded like a wild animal yowling from the direction the group had come from. As I listened, the unintelligible screaming started to sound like words.

“You bastards! Let me go! I swear, if you’ve hurt him, I will kill you!”

Two guards came marching down the hall, each holding one of Elise’s arms as she fought to break free. A hood was over her head as they dragged her to the cell on my left. They walked her inside, clamped a band around her wrist, pulled the hood off and exited. The walls of her cell turned smokey grey as she looked around blinking. 

Purple blood was smeared across her mouth and stained her white teeth. Drips fell from her chin and landed on her blue dress. I noticed her badge, which was fitted with a Starfleet transmitter, was gone. I looked down and saw mine was gone too.

That meant the Enterprise couldn’t track us. 

“Come back here and tell me where Leonard is!” Elise screamed, beating her hands on the barrier she’d entered from.

“Elise! I’m here!” I called. I struggled to get off of the bed and stand at the wall separating us. Elise didn’t react when I yelled. She continued to hit the barrier and scream threats.

“She can’t hear you,” Sol said. “See how the force fields are dark? She’s in blackout mode. We can see in, she can’t see out. She can’t hear anything either. Looks like she went for that dude’s throat. That takes some guts. You two are married, right? That’s what I heard the guards saying.”

“Why did they question her?” 

“Probably trying to make sure neither you nor her posed a threat. She’s just proven that she does.”

Aggravated, Elise gave up yelling. She stormed over to the bed and sat down with a huff. With her hands, she wiped at her face, trying to get the blood off. Standing, she went to the toilet and spat into it in an attempt to get the blood out of her mouth.

I turned back to Sol. “What will they do to us?”

“Make you help them,” he said. “You’re doctors. They’ll want you to teach them how to heal people.”

A group of guards returned and stood outside my cell. A door opened and they stepped in cautiously. 

“Stand next to the back wall and face away,” one of them demanded.

“Why?”

He held up a cuff. “You need to be fitted for this. Your wife has shown that you are a dangerous species. Now, do as you are told.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “No.”

“We will hurt you if you don’t.”

“Go ahead,” I snapped. “I don’t care.”

The guards paused. “We’ll hurt your wife.”

“Don’t bother,” I said. I knew I was going out on a limb but I hoped it would save Elise some trouble. “She’s not actually my wife. We’re coworkers. That’s it. We pretended so that you would let me help you. Hurting her will get you nowhere.”

The leader, the one who held the cuff, cocked his head. “You lied to us?”

“Clearly.”

“Who is to say you aren’t lying now?”

He lifted a remote and pressed a button. A small light flashed on the remote and suddenly Elise screamed. 

She collapsed to the ground and writhed in pain. Biting at her lip, she tried to stop the cries that kept slipping out. I watched in horror as she tried to pull off the bracelet. 

The guard pressed the button again and Elise stopped screaming. She sat up and looked around wildly.

“What was that for?” she yelled.

The guard gestured to Elise. “Do you want me to hurt her again?”

“Are you trying to get at Leonard through me? Good luck with that, assholes. We aren’t actually fucking married!” Elise cut off her tirade and went into a fresh round of muffled cries. Through clenched teeth, she spoke. “Don’t do it, Leonard! Whatever they want isn’t worth it. I can take it!”

The guard pressed a second button. Elise’s screams turned loud and shrill as the electricity running through her increased. 

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Stop it! Damn it, stop!”

Elise stopped screaming.

“Go to the back wall and face away.”

I did as I was told. 

The cold metal cuff was clipped around my wrist. A small beep sounded as it was turned on.

“You care for that woman. You would do anything for her, that is clear. That is how we feel about our people. You have to see and understand why we are doing this,” one of the guards said, as though he was trying to reassure me.

“Bite me.”

With a sigh, the guards left.

Sol whistled lowly. “That was something else.”

“I couldn’t let them torture her because I wouldn’t put on a stupid bracelet,” I said, going to sit down on the bed again. “Doesn’t do anyone any good.”

“You still could have let them hurt her instead of putting on the cuff.” Sol eyes me carefully. “You two aren’t married? You’ve been faking it the whole time?”

I nodded. “They don’t trust male doctors unless their doctor wife oversees them. Elise jumped in and said we were married so I could stay on the mission.”

He snorted. “That never works. Someone always falls for the other.”

“I fell for her before this mission,” I admitted, sighing. I went to sit back on my bed, hissing as my chest twinged. “I’ve never said that to anyone and I don’t really know why I’m telling you, seeing as you’re a stranger. But, damn it, I love her. And I think she has feelings for me too. Anytime we try to talk about it, we get interrupted.”

“You have terrible luck.”

That got a laugh out of me. “You’re right there.” I winced as my chest ached again.

Sol grimaced. “Rest. You need it. Rythian phasers aren’t nearly as safe as Starfleet’s. Their’s causes damage while your’s would just knock someone out. Don’t know how you’re girl is as feisty as she is right now. Someone her size should still be down and out.”

Elise

I felt like I had been hit by a bus. My whole body hurt and I had a blinding headache. That wasn’t going to hold me back when I woke in an examination room with a Rythian leaning over me.

I knew two things: 1) the Rythians had attacked Leonard and I, taking us captive, and 2) I had a shot to attack and I needed to take it.

With how much pain I was in, I didn’t have a shot at fighting clean. I couldn’t throw a punch and I couldn’t kick him. I could try going for his eyes but from my research during my stay on the planet, I knew their eyes were stronger than a human’s. There was no guarantee I would do any damage. My eyes flickered down to his throat, the only other exposed target.

“You are awake. Good. Please move slowly. You may still be in pain from being stunned. We can have a healer come and-”

Lunging up at him, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and bit at his throat. Blood spurted and the taste burned the back of my throat. The man screamed and tried to knock me off. Someone else in the room grabbed him and ripped him backwards while two others held me down on the table. 

I spat and cursed at them, all while trying to break free.

“Where’s Leonard?” I demanded. “Let me see Leonard!”

“Get her out of here! Put her on blackout and put this on her!” A man handed what looked like a bracelet to one of the guards that was holding me. He took it and helped the other lift me off the table. A hood was dropped over my head and I was pulled from the room. 

I started screaming and fighting them. I wasn’t strong enough to break free, but I definitely slowed our progress. They rushed the man I attacked past us, taking him to get medical help. I kicked out at where I thought the stretcher was passing. 

“Stop this nonsense, girl. We don’t want to have to hurt you,” I heard the guard to my right say. “If you cooperate, we may allow you to eventually see your husband again. If you don’t, we will be forced to punish you both.”

“You bastards! Let me go! I swear, if you’ve hurt him, I will kill you!” I yelled. They continued to drag me for a few more feet before stopping. The bracelet was clipped on my wrist, the hood removed, and I was left in the room alone. 

The force field’s walls were dark colored but not enough to keep all light out. There was a single bed in the corner, the frame made of dark meal and the mattress thin. Off in the other corner was a toilet. I turned around and faced the wall I had come in from. Frustrated, I lunged at it.

I beat my hands on the wall in anger. “Come back here and tell me where Leonard is!” I screamed. 

I got no response, no matter how much I screamed and cursed. 

Huffing, I went to sit on the bed. Wiping at my face, I smeared the purple blood across my cheeks and over my hands. Wrinkling my nose at the taste in my mouth, I went to the toilet and spit a few times, trying to get the last bits of blood out. 

I paced the room a few times, looking for a chink in the force field that I could use to break free. Suddenly, a burst of electricity shot up my arm and throughout my body. With a sharp cry, I dropped to the ground, clutching at the cuff and trying to rip it from my body. 

Biting my lip. I tried to keep myself from screaming anymore. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. 

The pain stopped and I laid on the ground breathing heavily. Scrambling over onto my stomach and pushing myself back to my knees, I look around, trying to see through the opaque barriers surrounding me. 

“What was that for?” I called out.

Then it struck me. They hadn’t done it because of something I did. They did it to get Leonard to do something. That was the only thing that made sense. I couldn't let him do that. I had to do something to keep them from hurting him. I tried doing the only thing I could: I had to convince them that Leonard didn’t care about me. Then, they wouldn’t use us against each other. If he didn’t have me to worry about, Leonard would be better off.

“Are you trying to get at Leonard through me? Good luck with that, assholes. We aren’t actually fucking married!”

I stopped talking as a strong current of electricity cut through me. I clenched my teeth in an attempt to not scream. Through my addled thoughts, I could tell I was still making some noise.

“Don’t do it, Leonard!” I yelled desperately. “Whatever they want isn’t worth it. I can take it!”

The electricity amplified and I couldn’t help myself. A scream tore its way up my throat, reaching an ear splitting decibel. 

And then it stopped.

No ramp down. No warning. It just completely stopped. 

Leonard had given in. 

Cursing myself, I sat up and rubbed at my wrist. Slowly, I made my way to the bed and laid down on it, waiting for the residual pain to subside. 

As I laid there, I stared at the cuff on my wrist. 

A realization hit me. 

And I had an idea.


	34. I'll Have A Full Stomach

Leonard

I woke to the repetitive sound of metal on rock. Groaning, I covered my ears and rolled over towards Elise cell, which was where the noise was coming from. 

Elise sat on the floor by her bed. She held onto the leg post of the bed frame and was repeatedly lifting the bed and slamming it back down onto the floor. Sweat glistened on her forehead. With determined focus, she struck the ground again with the frame, hitting the small divot she had formed. Elise paused for a moment, brushed the chips of rock away, and then fiddled with the silver bracelet she got from Spock. She pushed it up higher on her wrist and wiped of the dust with a few quick swipes. And then she was back to beating the ground with the bedpost.

“She’s been at it for hours,” Sol said behind me. “I hate it.”

I sat up and looked at him. “Any idea why she’s doing it?”

Sol looked at me like I was stupid. “Yes, I had an extensive conversation with her on the subject. You know, while she’s in blackout mode.”

“No need for the attitude,” I grumbled.

“Guard came by and yelled at her too,” Sol continued. “Her response was to throw her pillow at him and call him a dick.”

“Sounds about right.”

Sol got up from his bed and walked towards the front of his cell. He looked down the hall in each direction.

“We should be getting something to eat soon. You can say a lot about the Rythians, but they give us good food.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fantastic. At least I’ll have a full stomach while I’m imprisoned.”

Just as Sol said, guards arrived with food for us. As they approached Sol’s cell, he took a stepped away from the front of the cell and stood by the back. The door opened and the guard stepped in. He set the tray on the ground, nodded at Sol, and then exited. At my cell, the instructed me to face the back wall while they entered with the food. Not wanting Elise or I to be shocked, I did as I was told. 

When they approached Elise’s cell, one of them pulled a remote from his pocket. He pressed a button and Elise’s cuff lit up, shining a pale blue color.

“The hell is this?” Elise said loudly, looking around. She looked up when the door of her cell opened. 

Without hesitation, she jumped to her feet and rushed towards the guard, snarling as she did so. The light on the cuff switched to red and she yelped as she was wrenched backwards. She  tried to move forward again only to be held back by an invisible force.

“You are currently tethered,” the guard explained. You have a radius in which  you can move. Do not try to to pull. You will injury yourself if you do.”

“What have you done with Leonard?” she spat.

The guard set her tray down and went back towards the door. “He is being taken care of. Do not worry.”

After the guard left, Elise leaned forward and made a half-hearted attempt to reach the tray of food. 

“Asshole. Can’t even reach it,” she grumbled. With a huff, she went back towards her bed and started to sit back down, preparing to continue her task of beating the floor.

“Like hell you’re skipping a meal. Especially not after getting shot and shocked,” I hissed. Without thinking, I took my shoe off and threw it at the wall separating us. “Damn it, woman! Eat!”

As the shoe hit the barrier with a loud thud, her head whipped up. Her eyes seemed to scan my room, though I knew she couldn’t see me.

“Len?”

I perked up.

She could hear when something hit the wall

Standing, I went to the barrier and struck it with my fist.

Elise smiled. “I’m taking that as a yes. Alright, so we can do yes or no questions. One hit for yes, two for no. Are you hurt?”

I hit the wall twice.

Her shoulders relaxed and a tension left her body. I could hear her breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank god you’re okay. I’ve been worried sick. Hang tight, okay? We’ll get out of this. The Enterprise will come for us.”

I smiled at her hope and gave a knock for yes to encourage her.

She sat up a little straighter. “You’re probably mad at me for not eating, aren’t you?” 

I banged my fist hard for yes.

She snorted. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’ve got this stupid thing on.” She raised her hand for me to see the glowing cuff. “They forgot to turn it off so now I’m sorta stuck. I can’t reach the tray. I think that’s a good enough reason to not eat.”

I hit the wall twice, a bit harder than last time.

“No?” she said, eyebrow raised. “What, do you want me to try harder to reach it?”

I hit the wall once, indicating yes.

Elise huffed and got up. She walked until the cuff stopped her, laid down, and stretched her body out across the floor. Her foot was just close enough to catch the edge of the tray. Carefully, she’ll pulled it closer to her. Once it was within her arm’s reach, she picked it up and walked back to the bed.

“Happy?”

I told her yes.

“Good. Now go eat,” she said, waving in my general direction. “You have to keep your strength up, okay?”

I gave one more knock, saying yes, before picking up my boot and going back to my bed. Sitting on the edge, I stopped to put it on before starting to eat.

“She’d make a good Romulan.”

I turned around and looked at Sol, who was sprawled across his bed, lazily eating his food.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, she’s got some logic in her, which Romulans do have, despite popular belief. And she’s emotional. She’s also a fighter. A tough one at that. I know a lot of guys who would jump at a chance to have a girl like that.”

I gave him a glare. “Don’t be getting any ideas over there.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You two are in love, or whatever,” he gave me a cocky grin that reminded me of Jim. “But if she happened to be into Romulans, I might have a chance of stealing her away. What do you think, McCoy? Do I have a shot?”

“Her cousin is a Vulcan, if that changes your opinion of her.”

Sol made a fake retching noise. “Nevermind. I can’t stand being around Vulcans. You seen the way they act? They’re so stiff. And no matter what port you’re at, there’s a stupid Vulcan there stating the rules and regulations and blah, blah, blah.”

“Well, after what happened with Vulcan they aren’t at as many ports but I have the unfortunate luck of traveling with one. Her cousin actually.”

Sol sat up straighter, his brow furrowed.  “Hold up, go back. What’s happened?”

I froze, realizing he may not know. “How long have you been here?”

“Two years, I think.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “Ah hell. Okay. Well, I don’t know how to tell you this but, uh… some rogue Romulans attacked and destroyed Vulcan. The entire planet is gone. What’s left of the Vulcan people are mainly gathered on a different planet called New Vulcan trying to rebuild.”

Sol sat back. He stared straight ahead, unblinking and unseeing. “Their whole planet is just gone? And Romulans did it? God, they must hate us.”

“Nah, they don’t hate you,” I assured him. “The Romulans that did it were from an alternate timeline. It was a whole weird thing involving time travel and stuff. You don’t need to worry.”

“So, her cousin, the one on your ship,” Sol said, gesturing to Elise. “He’s not going to like, shoot me or something if he does come and rescue you guys like she says?”

I shook my head. “Nah, all things considered, he’s fairly reserved and calm. Sure, he’s annoying as all get out, but I’ve only seen him snap once and that’s because someone bad-mouthed his mother right after her death.”

Sol pulled an impressed face. “I can respect kicking someone’s ass for that. How bad did he hurt this person?”

“Punched him a few times and started to choke him before he got himself back under control. They’ve forgiven each other now. Honestly, they’re pretty good friends at this point.”

“Weird.”

“I know,” I said, smiling a little. Then the thought of Jim up there, on the Enterprise, thinking I was dead, popped into my mind. I frowned. “My friends probably think I’m dead.”

Kirk

“So we can beam down but it’ll take time to beam us back?”

“Exactly, Captain,” Scotty said. “I can get ya’ down there but I’ll need time to recharge everything to get ya’ back, especially since you’re coming back with more people than ya’ left with. The transporter isn’t made to work like this. To get it to do what I want, I’ve had to make a lot of modifications, some of which aren’t actually the safest, mind you.”

“Don’t tell Bones that when we get him back. He’ll kill me if he finds out,” I said.

“And we need to take into consideration that there is a possibility that Elise and Dr. McCoy are not the only prisoners,” Spock interjected. “There may be others in need of rescue.”

I nodded, rubbing my chin and thinking. “Scotty, will you be able to lock on to people who aren’t Starfleet?”

“As long as they’re in the area,” he said. “My plan is to beam back anyone who isn’t a Rythian. Unless ya’ say otherwise, of course.”

“If you beam down less people, will that cut down on the recharge time?”

Scotty thought for a second, making a concentrated face. He bobbed his head from side to side as if to say ‘so-so.’ “Probably would save a little time. Who’s going down?”

“Spock and me. We think the two of us should be able to handle it. Sulu will have the con, so just listen to him if things go wrong.”

“Works for me,” Scotty said. “When are you going down?”

“As soon as we know where to beam to. Hopefully Uhura should have something soon.”


	35. Smart Man, Spock

Elise

I was about 2 inches through the floor. The rock was soft, reminding me of concrete. The hours of striking the ground with the stupid, cumbersome bed frame were paying off. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and continued my laborious work.

“Why are you doing that?” A voice behind me said. 

I spun around and was faced with Klo, the Rythian man who had welcomed our team when we first arrived on this godforsaken planet.

“You son of a bitch,” I spat. “You’re behind this, aren’t you?”

“I was involved in the decision to keep you and Dr. McCoy, yes,” he said, face bare of guilt. “Now, tell me why you are trying to damage your cell? It is pointless to do so. You will never be able to tunnel your way out of your cell, you must know this. So why? Is there an ulterior motive?”

I turned away from him. “Leave me alone. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Very well. You have left me know choice.”

The walls of my cell turned a pale, silvery color. They were nearly clear with just enough color to let you know they were there. 

And in the cell beside me was Leonard. He sat up off his bed and looked at me in surprise.

His hair was messy, like he’d just been sleeping, and his shirt was rumpled. Besides that, he looked in perfect health. 

“Leonard?” I breathed, standing. 

“Elise? You can see me?”

Tears pricked at my eyes. “Oh my god, I’m so glad to see you.” I rushed forward, trying to reach him. With a sharp cry, I fell backwards to the ground as my tethered cuff snapped tight, keeping me a few feet from the barrier between us. 

As Leonard stood, the door of his cell opened and three guards walked in. Two grabbed his arms, holding him steady, while the third punched him square in the face.

“No! Don’t hurt him!” I screamed, pulling harder to get closer. “Stop it!”

Past Leonard’s cell, another man stood and started to shout too, hurling curses at the guards in a language that sounded close enough to Vulcan that I could pick up pieces of what he was saying. 

“Cowards! Stay off of  him!” the other man yelled.

The guard punched Leonard across the face again, following it up with a blow to the gut. He was thrown to the ground and kicked in the chest, pushing him back towards the barrier between us.

I turned to Klo with tears streaming down my cheeks, the dam having burst and sent my emotions running wild. “Make them stop! He hasn’t done anything wrong!”

Klo raised one hand, giving the guards pause. I looked to Leonard, who was coughing hard in an attempt to catch his breath. He wiped at his nose, which was gushing red blood. One of the guards came forward, offering Leonard a hand to help him up. Leonard spat at him, spit and blood landing right in the center of the guard’s hand. The Rythian growled and drew away, disgust clear on his face.

“Tell me why you are damaging your cell,” Klo said, hovering over me. “Or my men will hurt Dr. McCoy again.”

“Hit me all you like, I don’t care,” Leonard coughed out. “Just leave her alone.”

I felt a hand in my hair, wrenching my head back. I yelped, grabbing at Klo’s fisted hand. He pulled me up so I was resting on my knees.

“I tire of your games, Humans. One of you will tell me what the meaning of this is.”

Leonard made to get to his feet, “Get your hands off of her, you wrinkly nosed bastard.” A guard kicked his legs out from under him, sending him sprawling.

Klo tightened his grip in my hair and pulled harder. “Answers. Now.”

“I don’t know!” I choked out. “It makes me feel better!”

“Liar.” Klo pulled harder, dragging me back a foot. I bit my lip, nearly drawing blood, to keep from screaming in pain.

“Damn it! Stay away from her!” 

“Len, stop!” I yelled. “Please, Klo, I don’t know. I’m being honest!”

“She is!” the stranger said from his cell. “I’ve had more dealings with Humans than you lot have. I’ve seen them break. She’s been kidnapped and tortured, same as her boyfriend here. She’s scared out of her mind. A lot of times when a Human snaps, they start doing repetitive and destructive things to calm themselves down. They don’t understand it! No one does! She’s not hurting anyone so just let her do it. The sooner she works through her trauma, the sooner she’ll be of use to you. But the more you hurt her and McCoy, the longer it will take before either of them are stable again.”

Klo stood still. The only sounds were mine and Leonard’s laboured breaths. With no warning, Klo shoved me forward, releasing my hair and letting me collapse to the ground. 

“Continue your healing, Dr. Manning. Be fast about it.”

He strode from my cell with confident steps, the guards following, leaving us all alone in our cells.

Crawling forward, I moved as far as my tether would allow and searched Leonard’s face.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry,” he said, all the while wincing and grabbing at his side. “Gonna have some bruises. What about you?”

“I can handle a little hair pulling, Len, don’t worry.” I sat back and looked at the man past Leonard. “Thank you. Thank you so much for getting them to stop. I thought they were going to really hurt him.”

The man shrugged. “McCoy’s grown on me. I’ll do what I can do help him and his girl. I’m Sol, by the way.”

“Elise.”

Sol smiled. “I know. I’ve heard plenty about you.”

“Shut up, Sol,” Leonard said, his cheeks turning red, though if it was from getting beat or from a blush, I couldn’t tell. He adjusted himself to sit more comfortably by the barrier. “What even are you doing? You’ve been trying to make a hole in the floor for hours and we can’t figure out why.”

I glanced to Sol. “Can they hear us?” I asked.

He shook his head. “They have video but no audio.”

I relaxed a little. “Alright, well, when I was laying on my bed, I remembered that I was wearing my bracelet.” I gestured to the silver bracelet on my wrist, the blue stone shining.

“The one Spock gave you,” Leonard breathed. A smile crept on his face. “I forgot about that. God, you are a genius, kid.”

“What’s so special about it?” Sol asked.

“There’s a transmitter inside the stone. My cousin and I can use it to track each other and to send distress calls to our PADDs. I tried to send one but it didn’t work, so I knew something was blocking my signal. I figured if I dug into the concrete, or whatever this rock is, that I’d find some wires or something that I could damage enough that a signal would get through.”

Sol perked up. “The rock itself is blocking the signal. It only a few inches thick too. I’d give it a little longer and I think you’ll be through.”

“That’s the plan. If you guys can keep me from getting interrupted by the guards, I think we’ll be in the clear.”

Len nodded. “You can count on us.”

Kirk

Sulu and Chekov waved me over to their station as soon as Spock and I stepped back on the bridge.

“Sir, we’ve got a weird reading,” Sulu said.

“Weird how?”

“It’s like there is a hole beneath the city, sir,”

“Look here,” Chekov said, bringing up the scan on his screen. He pointed to a space that was just below the city. Unlike the layers of dirt, which appeared as a solid on the scan, the hole in the reading was completely blacked out, like it was empty. “It is like our scanners can not penetrate this section, sir.”

“Did are scanners see this void before? Or is this new?” Spock asked, leaning over Chekov’s shoulder to get a better look.

“New, sir. It just appeared on our scans. I am not sure why we didn’t see it before or why we are just seeing it now.”

“Mr. Sulu,” I said. “Do you have the dimensions of this space?”

“It’s roughly a 300 ft by 300 ft square and 15 feet tall.”

“That’s a lot of dead space to have below the city,” I said, mostly to myself. “Keep an eye on it. I want to know if there are any changes.”

A chirp from my comm caught my attention. I quickly answered it, hoping it was Bones or Elise calling.

“This is Kirk.”

“Captain? It’s Scotty. I’ve got some news.”

My heart sank, disappointed that it wasn’t who I’d hoped.

“Okay, Scotty, make it fast. I want to leave this line open.”

“Aye, sir. But I think you’ll want to hear this. My transporter signal just increased over the city. I don’t know what happened, but I think it’ll be a wee bit easier to beam ya’ in and out.”

That caught my attention. “Really? How long will the recharge time be now?”

“If I beam back 5 at a time, then probably about 5, 10 minutes on the recharge. Anymore people than that and it’ll be longer,” he said.

“Glad to hear. Keep me posted.”

With that, we hung up on each other. 

“Uhura, any luck on making contact?” I called, looking over Spock’s shoulder to the woman at her station. 

“Not yet, Captain.”

“Keep trying.” 

I made to leave with Spock in tow when suddenly an alarm went off at Sulu’s station.

“Captain!” Sulu yelled, spinning in the chair. “Our scans are now showing what’s inside that void. Its people. A bunch of them. And I am seeing life signs that are not Rythian.”

I dodged around Spock and flew to Sulu’s side, one hand on his chair and the other pointed by the screen. “Do you see human life signs?”

“My readings say two, but I can’t pinpoint where. My scans show what’s inside the space, but it can’t distinguish.”

Spock came to look over Sulu’s shoulder. After a moment of scanning the mess of colors and dots, ever shifting, inside the black void, he fiddled with the controls, trying to get them to be clearer.

“It appears that some unknown force is scrambling the frequency. I do not believe it will be possible to beam directly into this space. And at this time, we have no guarantee that the life signs are my cousin and Dr. McCoy.”

I stood up and looked at my Vulcan friend in shock. “How you can you say that, Spock? There’s two life signs and we are missing two humans. How much more proof do you need?”

Spock opened his mouth to argue but then froze. His eyes went wide as saucers as he reached up and touched his Starfleet badge.

“I need my PADD. Now.”

An officer from the science station hurried over with Spock’s PADD. He didn’t even look at her as he took it.. A small, red symbol pulsed in the bottom corner of the screen. 

“Elise is alive,” he said in a voice just barely above a whisper. “And we have a way to track her.”

“Her bracelet!” Uhura cried, standing from her chair. 

“Your badge vibrated, didn’t it?” I said excitedly. “She got a signal out to you!”

“Yes, and I should be able to use her transmitter to find her.”

My grin spread from ear to ear. “Let’s bring our people home.”

Leonard

It’d been hours since my beating and I was still sore. The bleeding from my mouth and nose had both stopped, thankfully. I couldn’t say the same about Elise’s injuries. 

Her palms were raw and bloody from the hours spent chipping away at the ground. Flecks of the rock cut at her hands and arms, leaving nicks of red behind. Patches of skin had been rubbed clean off on her knees from the hours spent on the floor. Her fingertips were shredded from having to clear the rubble from the narrow hole she was making. Elise’s eyes were drooping and her head had lulled forward during the last hour. It was then that I realized that I couldn’t remember the last time she slept.

I didn’t dare try to tell her to take a break, not after the way she had snapped at Sol for suggesting it. Elise was determined to break through to the dirt beneath the bunker and there was no stopping her.

I had started to doze off when I heard Elise say, “I’m nearly there, I think.”

I sat up and saw that she had made a good 4 inch hole in the rock. Before I could say anything, a commotion in the distance caught our attention.

“You better hurry,” Sol said. “I think you’ve damaged the bunker’s ability to stop scans from picking it up.”

Elise picked up her pace, repeatedly ramming the bedpost down in to the ground. As the commotion grew closer, Elise stood and grabbed the foot of the bed. She started to raise the bed high off the ground and slam it back down, putting all her weight into it. 

With a resounding crunch, she broke through the last bit of the rock and hit soft clay beneath. She reached for her bracelet and tapped on it to send a signal out to Spock. Just as she did so, her cell door opened and guards came in, Klo right behind them.

The first guard in the door got a swift kick to the gut, sending him doubling over. But Elise wasn’t fast enough for the second and third. The grabbed her arms, pulling them behind her back. With hands on her shoulders, they forced her down to her knees in front of Klo.

Klo reached out and grabbed her by her chin, long fingers curling up her cheeks and holding her head steady.

“Get your filthy hands off her!” I yelled, beating my hands against the barrier.

None of them looked at me.

“You will pay for what you have done, Dr. Manning,” Klo said in a low and dangerous voice. “You may think you have saved Dr. McCoy’s life, but you are wrong.”

Elise struggled against her captors’ grips.

“Stay away from him,” she spat out.

“I don’t have to be near him. I thought you had learned that by now.” Klo pulled a remote from his pocket with one hand while forcing Elise to look at me with the other. He didn’t say a word as he pressed the button on the remote.

My vision went white. Hot electricity coursed through my body from the band on my wrist. My hearing was muffled, but I could make out yelling and screaming, though it sounded as though it was from miles away. It took me a second to realize that one of the voices screaming was my own.

When the electricity stopped, I found myself lying on the ground beside the barrier separating Elise and I. Sol was yelling at Klo, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. From what I could tell, he was speaking in both Standard and Romulan, switching back and forth between the two languages within the same sentence.

One my other side, Elise was begging. Her voice was thick, like she was crying, as she pleaded with Klo to stop, to leave me alone.

“Kill me. Please, kill me instead. Just let him go,” she sobbed.

“That would not be a punishment for you, now would it, Dr. Manning? You would only be getting what you wanted.”

Struggling, I tried to sit up, to say something, anything. Quickly, I found it was too much effort. My mouth wasn’t cooperating right. I managed to roll onto my side. 

Gently, I reached out and touched the barrier, my gaze locked on Elise.

If I was going to die, I wanted the last thing I saw to be her.

Tears swam in her eyes, her bottom lip quivering as she watched me.

“Kid,” I managed to choke out. The corner of my lip curved up on one side. Not in a sarcastic smile, like I was known to give, but in a quiet calm smile. I tried to tell her I loved her but no words came out. 

I was going to die in this God awful cave under the ground and she would never how I felt.

“Len, no, hold on.”

My eyes flickered to the cuff on my wrist and an idea struck me. 

The barriers separating us were made of energy. That meant there was a power source somewhere.

And I wanted that power source gone. I wanted it to be destroyed.

I let my hand slide down the barrier, being sure to keep the cuff in contact with it.

The click of the button was just loud enough over Elise’s quiet tears for me to hear. The electricity surged through me again. And from me, it surged into the barrier.

And the whole system exploded.

Kirk

Scotty beamed us down inside the city capitol in what appeared to be a back hallway. Spock and I checked over our phasers, insuring they were in good condition before setting out. 

“You’re positive this transmitter you’ve got on her is accurate? It’ll actually lead us to them?” I asked, looking at his PADD curiously.

“I am sure, Captain. It may take a moment for the system to get it’s bearings but I am sure that-”

His words were cut off my the sound of an explosion and the ground beneath us rumbling. Looking out the window, a fireball erupted from an electrical unit, sending billowing black smoke into the sky. A door a few meters from the unit opened and what looked like two guards came stumbling out, smoke following them.

“Wanna bet that’s where we need to go?”

“Seeing as I believe you are correct, I will not be making any wager against you.”

“Smart man, Spock. Let’s go.”


	36. Fade Away

Leonard

“McCoy? Come on, wake up.” A hand on my shoulder shook me, bringing me around. I coughed, trying to clear the acidic smell of smoke from my senses.

A sharp cry came from my left. “Oh my god, he’s alive. Oh thank god.”

Opening my eyes, I saw Sol leaning over me, a concerned look on his face. He put a hand on my back and helped me to sit up.

“What happened?” I groaned.

“You fried the system. Sent a power surge back through it and blew it up,” Sol explained. “We need to get out of here, okay? This whole place is coming down fast. Here, Elise told me to find this and said there might be something in there to help you.”

He pushed a familiar blue backpack towards me. I reached out and opened it, soot and ash getting on my hands from the dirty cloth. Before I dug into it for a hypo, I looked around for Elise.

She was a few feet away, the tether of her cuff still activated. Her smile was wide, through her eyes watery, as she looked at me. One of the guards was lying on the ground near her, the rest of them and Klo were nowhere to be seen.

I tried my best to give her a winning smile. “Hey there, darlin’.”

Elise laughed through her tears, wiping at her face with her hands. “That’s all you have to say after you nearly died on me?”

“It was only nearly. Not that big of a deal.”

After a moment of looking through Elise’s bag, I found a hypo for pain relief. It wasn’t strong enough to have me down and out, but it’d take the edge of for a little while. Sol helped me with injecting it into my neck under Elise’s watchful eye.

“Alright, we have to go now,” Sol insisted. “Elise, I think you know what we have to do.”

She looked at him solemnly. “I know. Do it fast, okay?”

“Wait, what are you doing?”

Neither answered me as Sol took Elise’s hand in both of his.

“I’m really sorry about this,” he said.

“I forgive you.”

“Hold on one second,” I managed to say just as Sol broke Elise’s hand.

She managed to hold in her scream for the most part, choosing to instead bit down on her other hand. It wasn’t until Sol started to pull the cuff over the hand that she cried at. 

I pulled myself over to her side, dragging her bag with me. I dug inside, trying to find another hypo for pain. 

“Is that the only way you two idiots could think of to remove that damn cuff?” I grumbled.

“Klo took off and he had the remote so our options were limited. It was this or she completely lost the hand. Which do you prefer?” Sol said, finally pulling the cuff off the rest of the way. He let it fall from his hand to the floor. Elise breathed a sigh of relief as he let go of her now broken hand.

“You won’t find another hypo,” she said, gesturing to her bag. “I only packed the one pre-made. You’d have to use my med PADD and we don’t have time.”

Elise tried to get to her feet by herself but struggled. Sol and I both took her arms, Sol being careful of her now injured arm, and we helped lift her up.

“You shouldn’t have let me take the hypo then.”

“You needed it more.” 

I tried to argue only to be cut off by a familiar voice.

“Bones! Elise! Where are you?” 

“Jim! Over here!” I called. 

From around the corner appeared Jim and Spock, both covered in soot. Spock outpaced Jim and went straight for Elise, who pulled herself from mine and Sol’s grasp to stumble towards her cousin. As she lurched forward, Spock caught her in a tight hug, holding her close to his chest and burying his face in her shoulder.

“Are you guys okay?” Jim asked, hurrying up to me. 

“Elise has a broken hand and I was electrocuted but we’ll survive. Where are the other prisoners?”

Jim gestured towards the way we came. “We told them to get out. Gave them a comm to reach Scotty. He’ll beam them back.” He looked over at Sol and nodded at him. “Captain James T. Kirk, at your service.”

“Sol. Nice to meet you. Now, we need to go before this place collapses.”

Spock pulled back, still keeping his arms protectively wrapped around Elise. “I agree. We need to get to the surface of the planet quickly so Mr. Scott can beam us back aboard the Enterprise.”

“Then let’s go,” Elise said, taking Spock’s hand in her one good one and dragging him down the hall. He quickly caught up and wrapped an arm around her waist, supporting her.

“You good to walk, McCoy?” Sol asked.

I nodded, already moving to follow Elise and Spock. As I tripped over my own feet, Jim and Sol hurried to me, one on each side. They held onto me and supported me as we started walking.

“You have no idea how glad I am to see you, Bones,” Jim said. “You had me worried sick.”

“Yeah, well, think of how we feel.”

Jim snorted. “Do you have to be so sarcastic when I’m trying to be nice?”

Up ahead, Spock and Elise turned a corner and went out of our line of sight.

“Elise is leading him the wrong way,” Jim said. “I swear she has the worst sense of direction.”

“I’m guessing that’s the Vulcan cousin?” Sol said.

“Yeah, but like I said. He doesn’t hate Romulans.”

As we reached the corner, Jim yelled ahead to the pair. “Hey! Guys! Wrong way! It's a right, not a left. 

Spock maneuvered Elise around and they started back towards us. A sudden rumble over head gave them pause.

“What was that?” Elise called.

Jim had his eyes fixed on the ceiling with a worried crease to his brow. There was a second rumble and then a crash as rock fell into the hall, separating our two groups.

Kirk

Bones dug at the rubble with desperate hands, Sol beside him. I had my comm out, trying to call Spock.

“Kirk to Spock, can you hear me?”

After a heavy, torturous moment, a crackled reply came through.

“Captain, Elise and I are unharmed. Are you and the others injured?”

Bones perked up and looked at the comm with relief.

“We’re good,” I told Spock. “Is there a way for you guys to get back to us?”

“We will make an attempt. Standby.”

“There isn’t another way to the surface down that hall,” Sol told us. “If we can shift enough of this rock and dirt, we may be able to get them through. I’m not sure we’ll be able to dig fast enough before this place completely collapses.”

“We have to try,” Bones said, going back to digging.

A chirp from my comm caught my attention, quickly followed by Scotty’s voice.

“Captain, Commander, I’ve got signal inside that blank space. I’ve got a lock on three of people. Should I beam ya’ back?”

Bones’ head whipped up. He scrambled over to me, trying to grab my comm from my hand.

“No! Damn it, Scotty! No!” he shouted.

From the comm, I heard Spock’s voice. “Energize, Mr. Scott.”

There was a pull in my stomach and a cold tingle in my hands and suddenly, I was standing on the transporter pad on the Enterprise

Elise

“Energize, Mr. Scott,” Spock said. I heard Leonard shouting at Scotty and then there was a sudden and complete silence. 

“At least they’re safe,” I managed to say.

“Elise, I am sorry. I thought it best to send them back to the ship while there was a chance.”

I nodded. “Once Scotty locks on to us, he’ll bring us back too.”

Spock looked uncertain.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“There has been difficulty beaming on and off the planet. We had to increase the strength of the transporter. It will take some time for the transporter to charge enough to beam us back.”

I sighed. “Well, we might as well start digging. Better than sitting here waiting to be crushed.” I reached forward with my good hand to try and dig but Spock stopped me.

“Elise, you are hurt. Let me.”

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing,” I said. “Come on. Let me help a little.”

He frowned at me but eventually gave a curt nod, letting me go. 

I pawed at the loose dirt, knocking it away from the larger rocks. Spock managed to move a few, though when the entire structure shifted, threatening to topple down on us, he slowed.

“I am not sure if it is wise to continue disturbing the rocks in this manner.”

“Me either. I’d rather we not get squished.”

With a hand on my elbow, Spock helped lower me to the ground. We sat with our back to the rocks, our shoulders pressed together.

“I didn’t think we’d go this way. Figured we’d grow old.”

“As did I,” Spock said. 

“That, or in an space battle. Because honestly, what’s the point of joining Starfleet if you aren’t going to die during an epic adventure to save the planet?”

The corner of Spock’s mouth quirked up. “You sound like Jim.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder and sighed. We sat quietly, taking in the silence and the darkness that enveloped us.

“I never got to tell Leonard how I felt. I had so many chances, Spock. Why didn’t I just do it?”

Spock straightened his shoulder, silently urging me to sit up. “Elise,” he said, getting me to look him in the face. “We need to hold on to hope. There is still a chance that we will be rescued. And in the event that we are, you will have a chance to confess your feelings to Dr. McCoy.”

“And you’d be okay with it?”

His eyes softened slightly. “I want you to be happy, cousin. If a relationship with him would bring you joy, then I encourage you to pursue him. While he and I may have our differences, I do respect him. More importantly, I respect you and your choices.”

I was touched by his words. For him to give me his blessing meant more than I realized it would. Sniffling slightly, I reached up and hugged him, pressing my face into his neck. His arms came up around me, one hand on the back of my head and one around my middle.

“I love you, Spock. I wouldn’t want anyone else as my cousin.”

“And I love you as well, Elise.”

Together, we sat as the world around us faded away.


	37. Plan To Keep You That Way

Leonard

Elise and Spock appeared on the transporter pad wrapped in each other’s arms. They were huddling together, dirt and, in Elise’s case, blood smeared up their arms. They pulled their heads back from where they had been tucked against one another and blinked blearily into the harsh lights in the transport room.

“See? I told ya’ I could get them back. Just had to do some adjustments and wait for the damn thing to recharge,” Scotty said proudly. “Ya’ didn’t need to be yelling and shaking people like ya’ were, McCoy.”

Elise turned her head, searching the crowded room. Finally, after what felt like eternity, her eyes locked on mine. 

A broken cry escaped her lips as she unsteadily got to her feet. Stumbling off the pad, she hurried towards me, fresh tears running down her face and leaving clean trails in the ash on her skin.

Ignoring whatever Scotty was saying to me, I rushed towards Elise and caught her before she fell, bundling her into my arms and holding on like I was a drowning man and her my life line. I could just make out her quiet whispers of my name against my chest as she nuzzled into me, her arms thrown over my shoulders and her good hand tangled in my hair, drawing my head close to her. I found myself gently rocking us back and forth as I ran one of my hands up and down her spine.

“You’re okay,” I whispered, pressing my lips into the top of her head. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.”

Chapel came up beside us cautiously. “I’m sorry, I hate to interrupt, but you both need to come with me to the medbay.”

I went to let go of Elise only to stop when she made a small whimpering noise, clutching onto me tighter.

“Elise, doll, come on. You’ve got to let go. We need to get you looked at, okay? Come on, darlin’,” I coaxed her, gently prying her off of me. Spock came up and looped his arm around Elise.

“Come along, cousin. Can you walk?”

Elise bobbed her head yes, only to take two steps and nearly collapse. Spock swept her into his arms effortlessly and nodded for Chapel to lead the way. Jim took one of my arms, draping it around his shoulder, and followed behind. 

I kept my eyes glued to Elise the whole way.

The rest of the freed prisoners were in the medbay being looked over by the doctors and nurses. As soon as we stepped in, Dr. Prince cleared two examination tables and waved us over. Kirk led me to one while Spock placed Elise on the other. Sol, who had been carrying Elise’s bag, handed it off to Prince.

“This is her’s,” he said, pointing to Elise. “It’s got her medical stuff in it.”

“Fantastic, thank you. Why don’t you go with Nurse Pearson here so he can give you a scan?” 

Prince bent to look at Elise’s hand but was stopped when she pulled away. 

“Look at Leonard first. He was electrocuted. You’ll need to run scans on his heart and brain to make sure there isn’t any damage that could lead to issues down the road. His ribs and nose may need to be looked at as well. They could be broken,” she rattled off, going into doctor mode regardless of the fact that she couldn’t even been able to walk to the medbay by herself. “He could have some burns too, you’ll need to check.”

“Damn it, woman, let him look at your hand. It’s broken, for God’s sake.”

Chapel stepped between us before an argument could break out.

“Elise, I’ll start scanning Leonard. You just sit back and let Dr. Prince work, okay? You are experiencing extreme exhaustion and are badly hurt, so we need you to relax. Leonard will be okay.”

Prince picked up Elise’s injured hand and raised a scanner to it. I heard her take in a sharp breath as he inspected the breaks. Chapel stepped around to the other side of my bed to to start looking me over. As she stepped out of the way, both Elise and I turned our heads to look at each other. I reached out across the space dividing us and brushed my knuckles across the back of her hand. She turned her hand over and took mine in hers.

She smiled at me. “I told you everything would be fine.”

I snorted, only to wince at the sharp pain in my ribs. “You were dead wrong, kid.”

“We’re alive, aren’t we, cowboy? I call that a success.”

“We need to have a long conversation about what success is if you call this a success,” I grumbled. “You need to have some sense talked into you.”

“I think I might like that,” Elise said, her face softening. “The long talk, that is.”

“I think I’d like that too.”

Elise

Leonard and I didn’t get a chance to talk that day. We were both confined to bed rest in the medbay after our scans came back showing that we both had multiple injuries. 

Leonard had slight damage to his heart, nothing that a regenerator couldn’t fix. Two of his ribs were cracked as well from getting kicked by the guard. His nose hadn’t been broken, luckily, but he had been sporting some black eyes and a bruised jaw until Chapel had run a regenerator over them. 

I was suffering pretty badly from sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and dehydration. Made sense, considering I had barely eaten or drank anything while locked away and hadn't slept a wink. Multiple bones in my hand were broken, as I knew, but I was thankful that all the breaks were clean, meaning I wouldn’t need any surgery. Sol had done well not to completely crush my bones. I had some bruising on my biceps from being grabbed by the guards so many times. On my lower arms and on my hands were a multitude of cuts and scrapes from beating the ground with the bed frame. 

I was given pain medication first because of my hand, with Leonard getting his dose of the same not long after me. As we went limp, falling asleep, his hand slipped from mine, his arm still dangling over the edge of his bed. 

Hours later, I woke up in my own quarters, tucked into my bed. Cracking my eyes open, I looked around the room.

Spock sat in a chair directly next to my bed, his eyes closed and head lolled to the side, resting on his shoulder. I could see Nyota in the sitting area, reading something on her PADD.

“Hey there,” I said, my voice rough.

She looked up and her face broke into a wide smile. “Hey yourself. How’re you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a car.” I glanced at Spock. “How long has he been here?”

“He hasn’t left your side since you’ve gotten back. I don’t think he fell asleep until about an hour ago. Maybe you can convince him to go to bed, because he sure isn’t listening to me.”

I snorted. “Yeah, I’ll give it a shot here in a minute. How’s Leonard? Is he okay?”

Nyota smiled at me. “Was wondering when you were gonna ask about him. He’s fine, don’t worry. He’s in his room now and Kirk is staying with him.” 

I relaxed back into the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Nyota got up, set her PADD down on the couch, and came to sit on the edge of my bed. She brushed my hair out of my face and smiled down at me. 

“You should probably sleep,” she said.

“I’ve been out for a while. I’ll be fine. How about I convince Spock he needs to sleep and you actually make him go to his quarters. I wouldn’t be surprised if he snuck off instead of resting.”

Nyota eyed me carefully. “As long as you promise to actually stay in bed. You’re on bed rest until Prince comes and clears you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I promise.”

And I tried to keep to that promise, I really did. But after being startled awake for the third time by a nightmare, I was sick of it. I hadn’t seen Leonard since the medbay and I knew I would sleep better if I could just check on him. His room wasn’t far from mine. Surely no one would care if I took a little trip down the hall to see him.

I put my feet down on the cold floor and felt a shiver run up my spine. With some effort, I pushed myself up to my feet. I shuffled across the floor to lean against the wall for some support. Step by step, I moved to the sitting room and towards my door. Fumbling at the pad by the door, I eventually got the damn thing to open. 

I was startled when someone was standing there.

Stumbling backwards, I nearly fell to the floor. A hand reached out and grabbed by wrist, keeping me up right. 

“Damn it, kid. What are you doing out of bed?”

“Leonard? What the hell are you doing here?”

I lead him into my room, letting the door close behind him. He leaned back against it, still holding onto me.

His hair was a mess, like he’d just woken up. There were bags under his eyes and he looked exhausted. He gave me a tired smile.

“Couldn’t sleep. Wanted to see you. Now answer my question. What are you doing up?”

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, knowing full well that I was going to sound needy when I told him my reason.

“I had some nightmares. I wanted to come see you because I thought it might make me feel better. I… uh…” I started to stutter. “I thought I might sleep better if I was near you.”

Leonard’s smile softened, his eyes were warm as he looked at me. 

“Come here,” he said, tugging on my arm. 

I stepped forward into his embrace, tucking my head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, one hand coming up to cradle my head. His fingers tangled themselves in my hair. He ran his nails gently across my scalp, making me melt further into his chest.

“You need to be in bed. You shouldn’t be up walking around,” I half-heartedly scolded him. 

“I could say the same as you, brat.”

For a moment, we were both quiet. I listened to his breathing and his heartbeat, comforted by the sound. 

Without thinking, I blurted out, “I was scared I was going to lose you before I told you how I felt.” Leonard froze, his fingers stopping their movements. I continued talking, knowing there was no going back now. “I know I sort of said some stuff when I was drunk and any other time we tried to talk, we get interrupted and I understand if you want me to shut up because you don’t want to deal with this right now, with you just having gotten out of the medbay, but I was so scared you’d never know that I love you and I told myself if I got out of that place, I’d tell you. I get that you don’t feel the same way and-”

Leonard cut me off. He tilted my head back and pressed his lips to mine, perfectly slotting them together in a sweet, chaste kiss. My breath caught in my throat as he tightened his grip around my waist. Before I could react, he ended the kiss, pressing his forehead to mine, his eyes half lidded.

“I thought I was going to die down there, Elise. And do you know what I was thinking the whole time? I was thinking about how my biggest mistake was never taking the leap and telling you I loved you, but that I was so damn thankful that the last thing I’d see would be you.” Leonard’s hand moved from the back of my head to the side my face, the pad of his thumb caressing my cheek. “I love you, Elise. The only reason I didn’t want you to say anything when you were drunk was because I was scared you wouldn’t remember the next day. The first time I said I loved you, I wanted you to be completely sober.”

I smiled at him. “I think we may both have some pain killers in our system still. I don’t think either of us are sober.”

“You’re ruining the moment, kid.”

I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss. “I don’t think so. How about we take this to bed?”

He raised an eyebrow. 

“Not like that,” I said, playful slapping his shoulder and pulling a laugh from him. “Come on, Len, you look like you’re dead on your feet. Let’s get some sleep.”

Kirk

“What do you mean you lost McCoy?” Uhura snapped. “He was supposed to stay in bed!”

“I was sleeping on the couch and when I woke up, he was gone. I went to the medbay and he wasn’t there.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know where he is. Come on.”

Uhura marched past me out of Spock’s quarters, where he was still sleeping, and led me through the halls of the Enterprise to Elise’s room. She gestured to the door.

“Put in your override code.”

I eyed the door. “Do you really think I should? What if we walk in on something we don’t want to see?”

“Just open the door, Kirk.”

Groaning, I opened the door. Uhura was walking in before it even fully opened, yelling the whole way.

“Elise! McCoy! You assholes are in trouble!”

“Damn it, Uhura, don’t yell at them!” I snapped, following her in.

Bones and Elise were laying in her bed together, both cuddled up against each other under the blankets. As Elise sat up, blinking in confusion, I could see that both were completely dressed. I breathed a sigh of relief at seeing that.

“What the hell?” Bones said, burying his head under a pillow.

“You two are supposed to be resting!” Uhura said. “Instead, McCoy snuck out of his room to here for an unknown reason that doesn’t need to be shared at this time-”

Elise cut her off. “We did not have sex! Good God, we just needed to be near each other. If you hadn’t noticed, we both were kidnapped, tortured, and nearly died this past week. And after Leonard got here, we managed to actually sleep. If you want us to rest so bad, then get out.”

“No, you two are going to sit up and eat something,” Uhura told her. I helped Uhura get together some breakfast for the pair, the whole time being berated by Elise for barging in. Leonard continued to stay buried, giving monosyllabic answers to any questions we asked him.

Leonard

“Jim, I will be fine staying here. I am a doctor, you know. I’m not an idiot,” I snapped as Jim tried to convince me for the third time since breakfast to go back to my own room. Elise snorted from beside me. 

When I gave her a questioning look, she shrugged. “That last bit is questionable. But I’m here, so you should be fine.”

“Right, I’ll be fine because Little Miss ‘I’m always right, don’t worry, the mission will go great’ is here.”

“Hey,” she said. “I said I was always right compared to Jim. So far, I’ve been wrong, like, twice. He’s been wrong a million times!”

“Excuse you, but I’ve been right more often than you. You were wrong two out of two times about a mission,” Jim said, defending himself.

I smiled at her, bumping my shoulder against hers. “He’s got a point there, doll.”

Elise scoffed. “Whatever. If you want to gang up on me with Jim here, then maybe I’ll just go. I don’t have to stay here and take this.” She made like she was going to get out of the bed only to giggle and fall back against me as I wrapped an arm around her middle.

“Nah, you’re going to stay right here with me.”

She rolled over and smiled at me, eyes warm and bright.

“Jim,” she said. “Unless you want to see me make out with your best friend, I suggest you get out.”

“You both disgust me. I’m leaving.”

“Good riddance, you corn-fed bother,” I called after him. He flipped me off just as the door was shutting. 

Elise placed her hand on the side of my face and guided my lips to hers. I deepened the kiss, nipping at her bottom lip as I did so. She giggled into the kiss before pulling away and pressing her forehead to mine. 

“I can’t believe I get to do that for real now. No faking. No hiding,” she whispered.

“It’s real, darlin.’ You’re pointy eared cousin isn’t going to kick my ass for being with you, is he?”

She shook her head. “He actually has encouraged me multiple times to go for you.”

“Is that how he said it?” I laughed. “In that serious, Vulcan voice? He said to ‘go’ for me?”

“Not like that, you ass,” she said. She pushed at my shoulder playfully. “He wants me to be happy and he knows that means being with you.”

“And are you happy?”

“Very.” Elise pressed a quick kiss to the tip of my nose.

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy. I plan on keeping you that way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think in the comments and leave Kudos please!!


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